This blog is devoted to stuff that white people like

#72 Study Abroad

In addition to accumulating sexual partners, binge drinking, drug use and learning, white people consider studying abroad to be one of the most important parts of a well rounded college education.

Study Abroad allows people to leave their current educational institution and spend a semester or a year in Europe or Australia. Though study abroad are offered to other places, these two are the overwhelming favorites.

By attending school in another country, white people are technically living in another country. This is important as it gives them the opportunity to insert that fact into any sentence they please. “When I used to live in [insert country], I would always ride the train to school. The people I’d see were inspiring.”

If you need to make up your own study abroad experience, they all pretty much work the same way. You arrived in Australia not knowing anybody, you went out to the bar the first night and made a lot of friends, you had a short relationship with someone from a foreign country, you didn’t learn anything, and you acquired a taste for something (local food, beer, fruit). This latter point is important because you will need to be able to tell everyone how it is unavailable in your current country.

It is also important that you understand the study abroad ranking system. Europe/Australia form the base level, then Asia, then South America, and finally the trump card of studying abroad in Tibet. Then there is the conversation killer of studying abroad in Africa. If you studied in Africa, it is usually a good idea to keep it quiet, it will remind white people that they were too scared to go and they will feel bad. Use this only in emergencies.

What about studying in Egypt? I’ve known a few of my fellow white folks who boast about that location.

Although, I think if you called Egypt ‘Africa’, it would probably seem overly pretentious. And over you’d get the cold shoulder for attempting to curry excessive guilt… because for the most part, Egypt isn’t as scary to white folks as Ethiopia, Tanzinia or the Ivory Coast.

Also note that most of these study-abroads hang out with fellow American study-abroads for the most part, explore their new surrounds in packs, and rarely make many local friends, but will never mention this in their later recountings.

And the main reason they go on year abroads is not the chance to tell stories, though that’s part of it – the main reason is that they can drink before they turn 21 in most of these countries.

How about the “gap year” or backpacking more generally? In which the white person feels very adventurous and competes with others to live as cheaply as possible while being funded by money from their parents.

Has anyone ever asked, “So what courses/class did you take while in _________ (country)”? And have it seem that a non-conclusive answer is always given. But I’m sure they can tell you how to roll a joint like the Danish do! (See white people love weed blog).

Study abroad is travel under fake academic passport. What is whiter than being able to skip a quarter of ones expensive education in favor or 18 local beers/night in a Madrid disco. The pinnacle expression is semester abroad in law school. For the ignorant- the legal systems of foreign countries tend not to apply to American jurisprudence. Only a whitepeopleattorny could study “comparative law” in the Alps rather than advanced estate planning in New York and tell a client or potential employer that banging Heidi was the clear choice in the development of his breadth of intellectual character.

LOL LOL LOL…My white friend just pointed this site out to me today and I have spent a fair share of the day reading the entries. FANTASTIC!! I havent read such an entertaining blog in a while.

NOW THEN re: the use studied in Africa in emergencies…. This scores you MEGA POINTS if you change the ‘studied’ to ‘worked’ in a village in (insert African country of choice here…prefarably south of the sahara for more acknowledgement)….have a ladysmithblack mambazo(sp) collection or cd from local artist (who even locals haven’t had of because he/she is up and coming), have a couple of africa-esque shirts/sarongs, the mandatory bracelets with beads, beady colourful earrings for the females (which you can conviniently argue to be from South America, Africa or even Asia) , have an almost unbelievable but near-death medical mishap story, the local woman who treated you as family if not more and for the home run……own a DJEMBE. If you can play the Djembe, then the kingdom of koolness is yours and all that is in it!

I also have a fair share of white friends who are totally hooked on China….I almost think it tops Japan in this context.

oh my god again! my friends and i were in Spain and we met some unusual study abroad types of people. Pardon the term, but we had a name for these types of people, particuarly white females studying abroad: SAB’s=study abroad bitaches!

we met white people studying abroad doing the most extreme and yet opposite cultural thing ever.

example #1: a female from California, studying spanish in London, England, we met her in Spain and she couldn’t speak ANY spanish!

Example#2: female student studying African Culture in Sweden….though she could have gone on to Ghana! my bad!

Example#3: white student studying Italian in Poland. You can map that one out on mapquest!

overall the funniest thing is when your friend is black and he meets white americans studying abroad, he would get the funniest questions if he is in military, dancing, rapping or got on some affirmative action program to get overseas! that is bad!!!

oh wait! don’t be black and tell your white american patriots that you have european relatives who live in France, Holland, Portugal or Italy and that your relatives are black and not american and they cannot speak english either. Still, they will ask, “why are they living here in Europe instead of South Bronx, Compton or East Saint Louis?” There is only two types of black people, those from the United States, the inner city or the few from the suburbs. that is bad.

I don’t know about the Africa thing, but alot of people I encounter love to talk about volunteering/development/teaching they did in Africa/South Asia-South Asia especially. Maybe it’s just the circles I run in but the more ‘exotic’ locales are easily considered cooler.

Also like it was said, there’s the tons upon tons of MSA students who go on and on about how much they love Cairo(and to a lesser extent Dubai.)

Africa is an acceptable volunteer destination for white people… so long as it is in the Peace Corps. You get extra cred if you tell people you plan on applying to the Peace Corps (which has 35 applicants per 1 slot) after college.

No word yet on if that year of drinking in Prague impresses the Peace Corps screening board.

ALSO, if you do apply for or get accepted into the PC, NEVER tell people you were in theire financial development.banking division! It will NEVER be as cool at parties to tell people you spent two years in Bolivia helping the locals establish banking or other financial concerns.

Nadia, I agree w/ you saying, “the more ‘exotic’ locales are easily considered cooler.” Very little, if any, credibility goes toward anyone who goes to Europe, but not true for someone going to more exotic/challenging places. I’m in Delhi right now and I’m all the rage.

When I lived in Italy I made a bunch of Italian friends the first night at the bar, kissed one of them the same night after taking a ride on his Vespa, didn’t learn anything at my joke of a school, and developed a taste for pomodoro mozzarella sandwiches from one particular cafe and the ingredients will never be as fresh over here in America.

I think the most common theme of students studying abroad is it’s really an excuse to take an extended vacation. Grill someone who’s gone abroad and when you ask them how it was, they never talk about the education. They talk about the field trips and the wine tastings and the bars and clubs. When you press, they’ll admit they took 1 class for 2 units in the summer they were there.

Re: Matt:
Yeah, I’m not going to feel fully white until I go to Egypt and, like, get SCUBA certified on the Red Sea and whatevs. I’ve been around the world and ya, ya, ya (I learned how to Roll My Own Cigarettes in New Zealand and I like stayed in a rural Nepali teahouse where the vision of Everest made the tea just so mind-clearing), but I think that going to Egypt will really round out my experience. Besides, my white Manhattan-WASP-raised dad taught me that the more Black People I surround myself with (or Brown or whatevs), the better I will feel. Cairo ’09.

Haha, I went to a private college prep high school and the majority of class were upper-middle class to wealthy white students. And I know for a fact that more than half of them have studied abroad, or are planning to within the next year.

That being said…absolutely nothing wrong with studying abroad! I would say anybody who has the chance to do it should definitely go for it. (And you don’t have to be wealthy)

So very true. The pressure to do this is insane. The head of the French department at my university spent about 30 minutes trying to force me to study in France, and wouldn’t accept the fact that I WASN”T supported by my parents and had things like real bills to pay as a damn good reason why I couldn’t play in France for a semester.

This is of course on top of the once a semester presentation in every French class (and majors and minors often take more than one at a time) to go on study abroad.

The funny thing is that many whites really do not understand the fact that they are the minorities in the world. POCs are generally the world’s majority – no matter the color (brown, black, red, or yellow).

Rock on, but when I studied abroad in Egypt I think I landed the trump card. I still get the “OMG that’s so cool!!” look everytime I say it and then the “OMG how did you survive??” comments follow. White people are shocked Arabs don’t all want to kill them.

Yes, I’ve come to the opinion that the super-bowl of studying abroad is Egypt. Its technically on the African continent, which is cool, its technically part of the Middle-East which is adventurous!…

but alas, its less forlorn then say.. Azjerbaijan or Modovia (more or less because most folks couldn’t find them on a map), but Egypt works well…

Our former white conquerors, the British made sure everyone their shaped up and speaks English as their second language, there’s no shortage of Starbucks, people enjoyed Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark (it was filmed in Tunisia BTW) and if you get to the point where you just can’t hack the austere cultural influences, you can take a 20 minute plane ride to Israel, hangout at a Disco, watch a Reggae concert, hit the Tel Aviv Mall and shop at the Gap… How great is that!!!

I studied in Australia last semester and this is phenomenal. I think this paragraph illustrates my experience:

“If you need to make up your own study abroad experience, they all pretty much work the same way. You arrived in Australia not knowing anybody, you went out to the bar the first night and made a lot of friends, you had a short relationship with someone from a foreign country, you didn’t learn anything, and you acquired a taste for something (local food, beer, fruit). This latter point is important because you will need to be able to tell everyone how it is unavailable in your current country.”

ive a friend who did peace corps in tanzania, then returned to the states after being struck by lightning…
how’s that strike ya?

(ps – even if europe is passé, paris still sounds pretty cool when you hail from a damn small redneck town…)
(and yeah, living -not studying but LIVING, dirtpoor, by the seat of one’s threadbare pants- abroad does incline one to start refering to it as ‘the states,’ and also to frequently uttering apologetic statements like: soy americana, lo siento/sono americana, scusi/je suis americaine, desolée/etc…)
(ok, that’s all the meager wit i’ve got left… too bad i havent hit africa yet)

ive traveled around the world and usually stay in each country for well over a month, and i am not white. i have noticed that when i share any of these experiences with my white friends here in the U.S., i often get a response of slight disbelief. yes, it is possible for ethnic people to travel and study abroad as well.

Ey, thank you! Finally something that applies to me:) I’m a Swiss girl studying abroad in the US. Well, I also married my white American fling (quite exotic, eh), and moved here permanently. Which…makes me what exactly..a European fob?

At any rate…white Americans take whiteness to a whole new level. This blog is an interesting read even though I’m not familiar with some stereotypes.

I have afro heritage, the exception to this rule, a black person can never impress another white person with the same level of impact like in white/white exchange.

Talking about my extensive international travel with my white in-laws usually end up with a rapid change of topic, bcoz the white people can never lose, especially the less travelled whites hate to lose credibilty to another black person. have u ever considered that in your research?

I was going to suggest this! White people LOVE study abroad! There is absolutely nothing wrong with that, but I swear that at least once a week, a white person in my class raises their hand to share their study abroad experience. The funny thing about them sharing is: it never has anything to do with the day’s discussion. They just like letting others know about their travels!

I studied abroad in Asia first and then went to Europe to work the next summer. SE Asia is a wicked cool place to brag about having lived. But yeah, Tibet would be a whole ‘nother story.

This blog reminds me of a series of blog posts I wrote last summer on “Types of Hipsters” (click on my name link to get to it). It’s funny to me that we (white hipsters) love doing this sort of thing where we deconstruct ourselves to feel somehow better about who we are (or cooler, or something…).

The whole project of “Stuff White People Like” is itself blindingly white… but I still love it!

Oh yes, Arabs, well, particularly Muslims, are the new black boyfriends for white girls. “See, I’m not a racist/scared of Arabs… I am sleeping with one!”

Here in Egypt, one of the first things the study abroad chicks like to do is tie scarves around their head, usually in the same fashion as the rural village women do (or the maids in the urban areas who come from the rural areas), not in the way that their upper/middle class contemporaries do. Because scarf tucked under chin covering elegant neck and chest doesn’t match their ethnic fashion sensibilities, but cool colorful scarf tied in knot in back of head with dangly earrings? I’m being culturally sensitive! It usually takes them a few months to figure out that it doesn’t make sense to cover your hair while wearing a tank top.

Well, as a white student from England abroad in Madrid who works full time for one of Spain’s largest corporations, in addition to learning Spanish, I would like to point out that it does indeed constitute as living living in another country, not just ‘technically’. Also, why the hell not talk (not not brag) about living there with your friends? I pay my taxes, I visit other cities, I read about culture, I talk to people about Spain’s history, I shop where the Madrileñós shop… I can say I have lived here!

You have a very big misconception of students abroad. I don’t know but maybe your stereotype just applies to American college kids who think they have an idea of what culture is, and not those from other countries.

This blog wreaks of jealously about all the opportunities white seem people have.

My boyfriend’s parents were in the peace corps and were stationed in South America (Peru and Brazil). They are in their 60’s now and still return every chance they get. They are white, but still pretty cool.

HOWEVER, their daughter did NOT join the peace corps and has only been to SA as a tourist. She talks constantly about South America like she’s an ex-pat and every other sentence has a Spanish word in it pronounced with a Spanish accent. She is not cool.

I visited Matmata in Tunisia once where they filmed part of Star Wars when I was ten. Maybe I should run around in a white linen leisure suit and start carrying a lightsaber. I am white and I will be super-hot cool. Or a total dipshit. One or the other.

My parents shipped me off to Italy when I rebelled Sophomore year by dating a pot-smoking snowboarder, dying my hair blue, and wearing Dr. Martins. I was totally that girl in the hating their parents post pic!

Again, chi chi White folks. The vast majority of White folks either don’t go to college, or they study at their local community college, or they don’t travel abroad according to some cultural dictate that they need to round out their education.

How funny that this blog is so incredibly egocentric, typical of power bases, as to assume that what they do constitutes the norm.

“Whereas according to a 2002 American Council on Education poll, 79 percent of people in the United States agree that students should have a study abroad experience sometime during college, but only 1 percent of students from the United States currently study abroad each year . . . ”

I studied abroad in Mexico I also worked on a (organic) farm while I was there. I also was one of the few white people there (it is largely indigenous in that part) and felt superior to the old white tourists there (hawaiian shirt, tube socks, white sneakers, camera). I think I crossed off half the things on this list while I was there.

Cleveland, I think it’s more that they’re poking fun at elite, yuppie white culture, which is often overcome with white guilt and tries to mingle with non-white culture in an attempt to distill that. Things like “knowing what’s best for poor people” should make that clear.

Yeah, right, I get it. That’s fairly obvious. It’s the ‘I’m so witty in a subtle sort of way that only a few people understand’ kind of humor. Snarky, embittered, and myopic. And if you aren’t laughing, you just must not be ‘getting it.’

I get it, I just don’t think it’s funny. It’s cheap and lazy humor, it’s been done before, it doesn’t apply to 99.8 percent of Whites, and it is plagiarizing David Brooks. The blog’s only redeeming value is the author’s ability to write well.

But you watch: It’ll take off ground soon, no doubt to become a movie or a syndicated column, buttressing the existing mirage of what constitutes ‘normal’ in the US. Great. Just what we need. More obfuscation.

I studied abroad in Mexico I also worked on a (organic) farm while I was there. I also was one of the few white people there (it is largely indigenous in that part) and felt superior to the old white tourists there (hawaiian shirt, tube socks, white sneakers, camera). I think I crossed off half the things on this list while I was there.

Jabes,
You must be mistaken. Everyone knows – only white people have organic farms. Its only a white thing.

Mango Girl is completely right. A couple of my friends went to Spain over the summer and all they did was drink… then when they got back stateside, they TALK about HOW MUCH they drank in Spain. I STILL speak better Spanish than him.

You forgot to add that if they study in Spain, that they are TOTALLY fluent in Spainsh (after being there only a semester), but never every use it back in “The States.” Even when it could help out with living in their gentrifying neighborhoods.

It is also important that you understand the study abroad ranking system. Europe/Australia form the base level, then Asia, then South America, and finally the trump card of studying abroad in Tibet. Then there is the conversation killer of studying abroad in Africa. If you studied in Africa, it is usually a good idea to keep it quiet, it will remind white people that they were too scared to go and they will feel bad. Use this only in emergencies.

Fo shizzle. This is the ultimate trump card. It is the ultimate in hard-core. It is the ultimate in white man bravery. No one will ever question the size of your huevos ever again if you use this. However, use with extreme caution. If they find out it’s not the truth, all would be lost. Forever. You’d be forced to relocate far, far away. There is no second chance.

Nick – study abroad was how I managed to fit in a double major (because every course counted for my language major since it was in the language). It also shaved off 1/4 of the cost of college, because study at the foreign university was free for everyone, including the foreign students.

Just because most of them are morons doesn’t mean there’s no way a serious student could get anything out of it.

as a 23yr old white boi who studied abroad in europe twice while in school (brussels, monaco) it was decent. my leisure travels to south america (sao paulo, rio, b.aires) were much more of an eye openner and more of a foriegn world, met my brasilian friends down there.

i currently live in miami so i am the only whitey around and enjoy it, im going to crazy ass central america in july with my guate friends, we will see how it goes.

I think study abroad should prove to black people that the US has very minor race issues compared to other countries.

Europe, Latin America, and SE Asia were incredibly racist when I traveled around there.

The VAST majority of college students do not do study abroad. Of the ones who do, VAST majority are white. Minorities are usually too poor or close minded to do it. Or they are too focused on resume building.

White people must also ask themselves:

Why are we so pro-minorities and black cultural “empowerment” if we are so afraid to go to Africa? If liberal whites support welfare policies that favor blacks, they are bringing Africa home to the US. We could make comparisons between scenes in the LA/Brooklyn/Katrina riots and what is happening in Kenya.

“Oh, I’ve BEEN to Prague. Well, I haven’t “been to Prague” been to Prague, but I know that thing, that stop shaving your armpits, read The Unbearable Lightness of Being, date a sculptor, now I know how bad American coffee is thing…”
–from Noah Baumbach’s first movie Kicking and Screaming, Noah Baumbach being a director white people like

But the funniest thing is when whites go to africa and think they are “oh so brave” and the only white person to ever have stepped foot in the continent and will mention it in every sentence “it feels so great to be here, even though i am the only white person here” ” it must feel weird for you, you must have never seen blonde hair and blue eyes before” “you must think i’m so special, and you probably want to touch my hair and skin”

NO, bitch, we don’t think you or your blonde hair is special! truth is , we don’t give a fuck!! we don’t care about your white skin and we HAVE seen your type before! And yes you ignorant fucks, there ARE black europeans and we are not all poor or live in the ghettos. We do travel and speak several different languages just like you, yes you!

Seriously tired of these ignorant white americans who think they are colombus whenever they step foot outside of “‘the states’

Well, you are not the first and you are not special and no i don’t feel like repeating my first name just so you can feel good about getting it right and feel “worldly”, and i don’t want to know how many languages you can speak and that i HAVE to travel to kirrikirrukumani to live and study for 1 year, I would if i had the $$ but not everyone was born with a gold Fork in their mouth and can’t get daddy to pay for it all and last but not least learn 5 languages while not working, fuck, if i had the money to sit and learn swahili while sipping on green tea from bombay or whatever the hell that capital is called in india I WOULD! but i got bills to pay! I hate you fucking hippy hipster yuppies!!

omg i knew a white person that went to india and came back and bragged to me about it and said some of the stupidest shit about how the poor people over there are messed up for the way they beg for money. then she proceeded to show me how much she knew about india b/c she knew how to say the word “door” in hindi. wow just b/c u lived there for 2 months and went to an english school india you now know everything about the people and the culture!!

there’s like two types of white ppl in this respect:
first white person blabs on and on about how much they know about *insert country* and wants more information from you so they can continue to brag to their buddies

second white person (probably smarter than the first) just will talk and blab about any country but the country your from in fear that their ignorance will show!

HarlemJD@98 has a point. A lot of those European/other study abroad programs actually have much lower tuition than the American home university, so it’s not necessarily a luxury to do one, could be a smart financial decision too. Study abroad programs do vary, you could take a full load of masters-level courses that kick your ass, or you could drink off the year with the occasional art history course that requires you to just walk around Florence, pretty much. And foreign language immersion is a challenge and it’s good for you.

I guess, you must be talking about “white American” people (or maybe white Anglo-Saxons)…Then, it’s fairly accurate. I would also add that most of them only think of reproducing their American experience abroad and will feel horrible, if not outright depressive, if there isn’t a McDonald or any other America-reminding fast-food place within a 3-km distance from where they are stuck.

But this doesn’t apply to ALL white people, thank you not to forget that there are about 500 millions people on the Old Continent who could be classified as “white”. Not that it really matters much to most of us who aren’t obsessed with races and patriotism. But since you seem to be wanting to apply the new racial political correctness of the US to the whole world, I thought it might be a good idea to specify this.

I studied 4 years in the US, which was abroad for me, since I’m Swiss (and no, I’m not Heidi in the Alps), but my experience was completely different from what you describe.

– I don’t drink alcohol (but can you call alcohol the sort of bleach-like cheap stuff that students drink?)
– don’t smoke ANYTHING,
– went to parties only for one of my ethnography classes and found this quite a traumatizing experience,
– didn’t go on backpack travels,
– didn’t try to accumulate sex partners, as in the US, too many men seem to need to be completely drunk before they can even start talking to a woman, which is not too enticing to people like me…

I did hang out a lot with other “international” students, but none of them from Switzerland, since I was the only Swiss person there. And I went out with a Romanian student for almost a year. None of those from European countries behaved like the so-called “white people” you describe in your post.

Oh, and by the way, the US is VERY different from Europe, on all accounts. I would say it is as much a cultural experience to go and study in France or even England for an American kid as in China or Tanzania. I know this might sound a bit extreme, but I believe it has all to do with the individual’s knowledge of the world and capacity to adapt to new environments.

UNLESS you studied abroad in South Africa. Then you get to be that one half white/half black guy who did that “who was oh so brave”. And yet cool, because for many white people “South Africa is white Africa.”

“…Also note that most of these study-abroads hang out with fellow American study-abroads for the most part, explore their new surrounds in packs, and rarely make many local friends, but will never mention this in their later recountings…”

^^ so true. here’s my obbo

I live in the American ‘student village’ in London. For the most part Americans are v. easy to spot from their reaction when they spot an ethnic minority (esp one strolling along like a local). Makes Americans v easy to spot – most don’t return the smile or make eye contact. Fairly different from Europeans.

For the study-abroads (in this posh area) have no choice on return home but to edit their tales about their “authentic” or “English” experience, since the “real England” must exclude any POC??
*shrug*
The oft-stricken look I’ve seen on their poor faces seems to say…”not what I expected in kensington & chelsea. a royal borough at that?!” Ironically the ‘authentic’ Brit (white person) is either patronising or hostile or patronising polite to Americans. Therefore it would be a struggle befriend any ‘locals’. I may be wrong but I feel sure since I’ve overheard some strained / strange conversations in starbucks

I think that Mango Girl must have attended my school in Australia (USC) as that was generally how it went. As a white Australian person i felt the need to also study abroad – so i went to North Dakota! No joke!

I TAUGHT study abroad in southern africa. Hahahahah. And I lived in South Africa for two years. But my favorite is when people say “Oh, so you lived in Cape Town?” (the one White City that everyone knows about) and I say “no-oo, I lived in the bush, like…we had those talking drums and s!&t.”

And the table goes quiet…

In reality my [black South African] friends and I were on our cell phones and SMSing each other constantly in English and “tribal” languages to talk about soap operas and this ugly dress we just saw on some woman on public transport.

We did have the talking drums, but really, when you just want to say “Hey, are you at the pub or what?” the cell phone is way easier. The ancestors listen to the talking drums and they don’t care if you’re drinking.

One of the biggest reason White People study abroad is the foreign language requirment for a college degree. White people speak English at home. Suddenly, we need to speak a foreign language to graduate. geeze! this is worse than Calculus. A BA requires 4 semesters of the same foreign language. A guaranteed quick way to get over this is to spend a summer abroad. Hence, the evil requirment is done and away with. Also, a BA in a foreign language requires the least coursework. Less time than a Communications or Pol Sci major, if you believe it. WIth a foreign language degree + year aboard; college is done and over in three years time.

i’m egyptian and can confirm that “study abroads” are a well identified and usually reviled group around here. there are LOADS – they’re almost never a minority american. i could write a whole blog about what white people that come to egypt/the middle east to study like. the ones that make it here are usually extra smug that they’re actually in a Muslim country AND in africa. they were ethnic stuff, don’t like speaking to Egyptians who actually speak English, and boast about their liking for street food.

Forsooth, I had the impression that the AUC year abroads from America were actually more ethnically diverse than Americans in Amrika – lots more East and South Asian-Americans than you’d see on an average US college campus.

the funniest, if you can laugh about this, but whenever i am traveling with my two best friends, who happen to be white, i notice that whenever we run into white american travelers, for some strange reason, our friendship is not really valued by these inividuals and they try to provide white privileges to my travelmates with hospitality, friendship, sex, romance and such daring positions as get away or spending less time with my black presence. Though my friends are very aware of these attempts to racially segerate (seperate) our friendship.

One time for example, we were in Granada, Spain and we met this one guy. Let’s call him, Jim. He was about 44 years old, white and he was from Texas. He seemed like a nice guy, but I noticied how he spoke to my best friends. As soon as he learned that I was traveling with them, he seemed to change his vernacular or better yet, he talked more as though he was from the black inner city. “Hey man! yo, yo, wat´s up, what´s going on, or going down” there were so many words being used. The first word in response to his black choice vernacular was “Hi!” He was so amazed that I felt more at home with the Spanish than with the americans. I guess, Jim, wanted to establish that I was outside of my norm and that I needed to return to the good Ol´United States, where he and I would probably not cross paths both in social and work life.

The “Race matters” even get worse with American white females. There is no doubt that my friends may have a certain look, which most american females search while traveling abroad, but yet at the same time, these same american white females will ignore my friends if they were walking down the street in any city in United States.

However, these young, white college girls who were able to get some money, sorry, a lot of money from their parents to exprience different cultures in Europe, somehow have abandonded all their diversity courses and cultural classes to only find other white people who speak the same language, wear the same clothes, come from the same area or region and watch the same television shows; so they think! Though, my friends don´t even watch these shows or even wear the same clothes or really care for what these american females are looking for. In any case, my friends are white and somehow these white american females have all of sudden decided to consider themselves my friends as their best friends, by natural selection.

related to the photo you have for this blog … you must do a blog about how white people LOVE TO WEAR SHORTS IN THE FUCKING WINTER!!!!!!!!!!!!! just like this dude in the pic although maybe it’s not winter in this pic. white people turn on air conditioners in the winter too. i saw all this at my white college …. georgetown university … and they wear flip flops and berkinstocks in 20 degrees too … why don’t white people get COLD???

More annoying things white europeans do: pretend that no matter what, no matter where they go they will always be more enlightened than americans. they will claim they never got drunk for fun, never ate at a mcdonalds, and only visited unique museums. they will automatically be enligthened and assimilated into whatever culture they travel to, and use this as an experience to complain about how americans can never really have a world view b/c they’re so boxed in at home. or they will claim “anglo” culture is just too different.

When I studied abroad in dreary old Sheffield, U.K., I had a crazy delusion that my country that drops bombs at the drop of a hat was full of citizens that were less sane than the rest of the world. Boy, was I wrong! Not only can you feel shitty about your country, but you can also feel shitty about the world!

The highlight was being awoken by a bunch of drunken rugby players crashing a stolen grocery cart with a stolen fridge in it into my door at 4 am before a final exam. That was pleasant. I learned to love [people who have real convictions], and fortunately they WERE in my home country!

I first studied abroad when I was 20, then went back for my Masters’ — I loved it that much. I went to England. That’s where most of us white folks end up.

Two of my sisters and a brother followed in my footsteps soon after (one sister chose Ireland). We’re very overseas-positive, my family. My husband also studied abroad; did his 18 months in Spain. Our kids are already sick of the whole business. We start talking about it, they roll their eyes and leave the room. Works every time.

The best study-abroad mess I ever saw was a Texas girl at Heathrow in 1989. She’d gone native while in England, and had this weird London-by-way-of-Dallas drawl. She sounded like Eliza Doolittle played at 75rpm. It was awesome!

I studied abroad in London. The best three months of my college career and certainly something I will probably never be able to do again. Only had “class” three days a week and then I got to travel the world. Amazing.

ew. i had a white friend that studied in africa and she told everyone about it every 5 minutes and included stories about how black people would pick her up and offer her rides because she was white so she didn’t have to walk to school.

apparently she didn’t get the memo. i studied in europe, so i’m allowed to tell people.

Oh, and when white people *do* go anywhere in Africa, they always refer to having gone “to Africa” – the particular country is almost never named. I wonder if this is because they’re used to getting blank looks for saying “Mali” or “Nigeria” or if they really just think of it all as “Africa.”

The whitest girl I ever met told some incredible stories about how she had decided to go “live in a village in Africa” after having won a do-gooder trip through her local Rotary club or something and by all accounts managed to learn the language and become practically part of some family, all in the space of a few months.

That’s another thing white folks love to talk about when they go to the third world – how hospitable everyone was, and how they were welcomed into people’s houses and asked to their weddings, no matter how poor people were. Having never known anyone who actually invited a random visiting tourist and who wasn’t a tout, I’m baffled.

Having been a student at an African University I encountered a number of White Study Abroad types. Suprisingly, most of them were women, almost 3 to 1 ratio. Not that any of the white guys would ever have much game – within a few weeks to a month, most of the white girls would find a “local boyfriend”. Apparently white women like black men as much as white men like asian women. Sex tourism isn’t just a male thing

I make my friends angry that studied abroad in Italy and Australia when I point out I grew up in Pakistan (dad’s job). They try and turn the tables on me by saying I didnt fully experience the overseas experience. I guess because I didnt drink it up with any Pakistanis at age 13.

I’m biracial, British father and Sierra Leonean mother. Lived in both England and West Africa (Nigeria to be precise).
Decided to spend a year in Western PA (Pittsburgh).

The questions I got!
1) Oh I didn’t know there were black British people?
2) How come you have a British accent?
3) Do you have zoos in Africa or do animals just roam free?
4) Wow! How come you speak such good english?
5) So wait….your Mum’s black and your Dad is white??? (Always accompanied by utter looks of disbelief)
6) What do Africans speak/wear/eat??? (It’s a continent people…can’t speak for an entire continent!).

Yeah good times. Americans are a wonderful people I tell you. I should know…I brought one back with me to the UK!

You have to do Joining the Peace Corps if you haven’t already. It combines elements of many of the things you already mentioned: travel, diversity, being outdoors, knowing what’s best for poor people, being the only white person… It’s the ultimate white person experience.

Currently studying abroad in London, and I have to say I agree with the guy who was in Sheffield. Most of what I’ve learned from my “great cultural experience” is that most British university students suck as much as their American counterparts.

One of my friends is African. She comes from Cape Town in South Africa. Cape town is a big modern city like say… Sydney or Brighton or San Fransisco. She now lives in Britain. She has met many Americans over here who are studying in Europe to expand their outlook and their horizons. Often they have asked her if she grew up back home in a mud hut.

She grew up in an apartment but she always tells them yes because she’s a bit mischievous like that and she thinks they really should know better.

Well, I’m as white as they come and I must say that this applies to alot of white people who study abroad. I went to Italy for six months while in high school and the Americans always always always segregated themselves and never had a grasp of the language. This was more than a little discouraging for me as I had studied Latin and Italian for a full2 years before coming to Italy….I have every intention of returning to Europe within the next year or so and staying for a long time. I don’t feel disingenuous for studying in Europe because its what I’m passionate about. I’m really striving to achieve fluency in about 4 languages and the best way to do that is to immerse myself with people who speak those languages fluently…

DAMNIT. I thought I was cool for studying in England. Granted, it was in lesser-known Lancaster University. And I didn’t go just to “study abroad” and picked the country that actually speaks my language, I’ve been in love with England since 6th grade. Everybody else that was there at the same time as me said they decided they wanted to study abroad and figured England would be the easiest place to go. Kind of put me off a bit, since I actually loved the place. I’m going back in May to backpack.

I brought the idea of studying abroad up to my middle school students in Watts, Los Angeles….I asked if they were interested in studying abroad….to which one student replied, “Yeah…I study lots of broads”

You have to add the exception to the Africa Rule which is so.. true.. if you have studied in SOUTH AFRICA you are considered quite the world politico traveler.. esp if you have met Nelson Mandela.. etc.. I am mixed race, but all the white people in my family LOVe to hear about cape town etc.. it is a fithy rich city.. much like eurpoe and so everyone values it

how about this… i spent time in tibet doing volunteer work, and to the best of my knowledge it isn’t even possible to study there as a uni student/westerner. i wasn’t even supposed to be there doing what i was doing (apparently). trump card indeed. oh yeah, and i’m white.

My sister spent her college years studying at an american school in switzerland. I’m not sure what she was studying but she made a bunch of sculptures and such and got a degree in “visual communication arts” that basically comes down to her knowing very few technical skills and working for free at an organic farm in india. Her education cost 40000 a year and now i can barely convince my parents to let me study physics at the ohio state university for 4 years with no academic travel (i do not have time to throw time away like that, and while physics education overseas is considered very good i cannot abandon my series for a different one)

This is SPOT ON. I studied abroad twice, in fact, in both Cuernavaca, Mexico, and London.

The Things I Miss: real deal Al Pastor tacos at my favorite Cuernavacan taquerria and the Czech beer Staropramen as well as this beer called Erdinger.

When I lived in London, I always rode the trains to work and found the people not only inspiring but outrageous. One time I was holding onto the tube’s pole for dear life when this British nut asked me if I believed in God. I promptly walked away from him.

This is such bullshit….are any of you people aware that there are folks who are VERY privileged that went to school in Africa, there are good schools there, in fact most of us come out speaking two foreign languages…..we spend spring breaks in places like paris and monaco, capris……don’t regard an american education in high regard, (frankly you are just not that bright in general)…most of you cant even pin point a location on the map…..quite tragic actually……..and NONE of you come close to what the arabs are exposed to, that’s a whole different level you probably cant even imagine so I wont got there…….

Oh, this is so funny. I’m white, work at a college health center and we do the immunizations for travel abroad students. We currently have one student who is going to Rwanda and everyone is oh so worried about her.
Most of our students go to Europe.
That being said, for a majority of these students, it is their first trip abroad without their parents and I do believe they learn something.
If the knowledge is about food, drink and sex, than so be it.
These are the essence of life.
I do love this website.
White folks can laugh although I admit it is rare.
Maybe at a funeral of an old Auntie who has left them a ton of money.

i love your site! this is my favorite post by far b/c all of my friends have studied abroad and WE ALL ACT LIKE THIS hahahhaha. the ranking, the complaining about how we can’t find Argentinian candy or whatever in the US hahaha its so true.

p.s. why do ppl use a blog forum to be so serious…if people really cared about race relations in America, they would be going out and doing something about it…not whining on some blog.

I think that Australia is the baseline for study abroaders. I studied abroad in Italy and did the whole Italian men on vespas…..and love saying…” oh where did i get this jacket?….its Italian leather from Florence” or ” I love this bottle of chianti….but the bottle I had in the Chianti region in Tuscany was sooo much better”….so I liked the experience so much I decided to try a new place…Australia. But Australia is JUST like the states….or at least trying to be like them. Aussie’s listen to all American music, all the restaurants are American, and they know more about the American political aspect than I do. But then they will say how they hate American’s. But all in all for study abroaders, they do not have to learn a new language and there is not culture shock whatsoever. I am here now and I feel completely at home, and forget I am in another country half-way around the world. It is an easy place for students to “experience living in another country” but all it is, is a more beachy, hippie florida, with cute boys that have australian accents…..Im not gonna lie, that is probably one of the main reasons most white chicks come here is for the accent….

Another characteristic of white people abroad is travelling abroad with a pretense of learning a foreign language, and then getting drunk every night and loudly speaking English with their fellow white countrymen.

I did a year abroad in London and this is real true, I spent almost all my time at the student union or Primark (studies? what?) and acquired a taste for Carling and Ainsley Harriot soups and BURGER SAUCE. I also really really hated almost every other American study abroad student traveling in Northface fleece wearing packs. nott1ng.h1ck I know where you are talking about.

I’m intensely annoying about the whole thing now and bring up England in pretty every conversation possible. Oh yes, it was “life changing”. I even dated someone from there, but it was kind of long term. And I learned how to bullshit discussions on contemporary art so I can’t say I learned nothing. I only got 6 credit hours out of the whole year, too. It would be more appropriate to call it “my year off in which I drank a lot of snakebites”.

white people also like dancing salsa with other white people. if they are starting out they will bounce around a great deal and if they are advanced they will be very showy and use a lot of absurd hand movements. In both cases they will trill their ‘r’s, and expect all Latinos to be experts on dancing salsa, regardless of where we are from. I suspect some of this stems from their experiences studying abroad in Latin American countries. Or wanting to.

124 forsoothsayer:
Let me clear something up for you. White people in America, unless they live in California or the Southwest, basically live on a diet consisting mainly of grains, dairy, meat, and the combinations of those three because the cold climate in most of America makes growing properly tasty food crops (like fresh fruit, herbs, and vegetables) in large quantity with high quality impossible. White folks don’t eat nearly as much Hipster Salads with Organic Tangerines as they want you to think they do.

So some Middle Eastern street food is actually better than most of what they put up with at home. I’m sure an expert Egyptian cook can best a street vendor in the blink of an eye, but how many white folks learn enough Egyptian Arabic to read one of your recipes, should you actually deign to give them one?

Eli, you get really good food, fruits vegetables and all, in the US, even if most people choose not to do much with it 😉 But you’re right, Egyptian street food *is* good, and the dodgier it is, the better it tends to taste (cf. kebda – liver marinated in garlic and vinegar and sauteed with hot peppers). It’s hard to eat it every day because it can be fatty and starchy, but it’s definitely flavourful and a nice change from American fast food.

Forsooth, a lot of those study abroads do actually spend quality time and money at Hardee’s and KFC, though perhaps they’re a bit embarrassed to admit it. The ones who come to Cairo are generally pretty earnest about adapting to the culture. Nothing wrong with that, even if it leads them to make amusing sartorial choices at times, with the multitude of scarves.

This post is soo true.. I am currently studying abroad across Europe, and I am the only black kid out of the 31 white students from my school in Wisconsin.. For many of these kids, it is the first time they’ve ever traveled so your description was so on point.. It’s almost sickening watching how they try to interact with locales and navigate through the towns refusing to try and adapt to any of the changes that being in a different country brings.. I always hear why Europeans and different cultures a like, tend to hate Americans and our culture (aside from pop. culture).. Being here has made me understand why they have those feelings. Most Americans are blind when it comes to self-reflection. We’ve been taught that we are the best nation in the world, therefore we can act like pompous, obnoxious, and naive individuals without paying attention to the perceptions we give off daily.. I’ve had to witness on many occasions my classmates getting angry and frustrated, because a Spaniard or French refuses to speak English with them.. It’s like they believe that everyone in the world speaks our language, yet even speaking with Londoners was even a task.. I know many think study abroad can be a waste of time, and I agree.. I worked hard as hell to get here for the past year and a half and worked on being able to speak basic phrases in almost all of languages I will come across.. Though, I also do believe that if the perceptions of Americans is to change geography&international studies courses, & study abroad should be mandatory and paid for by the schools, because at least it teaches the students that the world is not flat and that around us people are working harder and getting smarter. So it’s really not long before the supremacy of America fades away and we become the nation on the brink..

I like how people are using this comments section to brag about where they studied abroad, under the guise of making fun of themselves. Secretly they are excited about another opportunity to tell everyone about their bravery and culturedness.

Lancaster is where I did my Master’s! I was in County West … haven’t really been back to the place since, but I hear the woods around it are still infested with bunnies. Not a bad species to be infested with, if you ask me.

I was in the Caving Club (yes — female, yet a spelunker), and we used to crawl around the overhang of the Spine when recruiting for new members. It was a bit like being a spider. But at the time the university led all others in the U.K. in number of suicides per year (something about being that far up North? That far out West? That windy, wet and cold?), so we really had to do something to beat the blues.

Don’t mind the sarcasm, Katie. I loved the place too. And you ARE cool — more so for heading back with nothing to study. The best of us Americans are the ones who bother to find out what the rest of the world is really about. Remember that.

I studied abroad in South Africa and thought I was very special for it. Then a bunch of other honkies I know started going there too. So now I make sure to mention all the backwards, mismanaged, fucked up day-to-day things I would see (rape, getting nearly held hostage at the border, stray cats put in dorm microwaves). This way I’m still braver than everyone else.

#188 “We currently have one student who is going to Rwanda and everyone is oh so worried about her.”

Oh, and aren’t we a liberal know-it-all. Maybe you forgot that in Rwanda 1 million people hacked each other up with farm tools? Perhaps you haven’t read that in South Africa 1 in 7 blacks have HIV? Maybe you haven’t read about Zimbabwe and the attacks and murders on White farmers and their families.

YOU ARE STUPID. That girl, at that age, could very well be putting her life at risk, and for what exactly? It wasn’t the fault of Whites that they hacked each other up there. Oh, and they were all Christians too.

If that girl gets raped there, she probably won’t report it. I think it’s sad that her father is so stupid, that is if she has one.

It pains me to hear that I’m not unique, but then again if it weren’t for study abroad I couldn’t truthfully claim to have a sexual history that reads like a well-stamped passport. How I averted syphilis that year in Paris I suppose I’ll never know, much like all the shit I was supposed to be studying.

I notice the vast majority of these responses are white people saying, ‘oops, you got me! I DO do that! Like that time I studied abroad in England, haha.’

And then promptly do exactly what the blog post outlines, in order to impress the other posters by being self-deprecating AND still having a chance to impress others with their study abroad stories. A win win situation!

P.S. Haha, this actually applies to me, I developed a strong taste for those arabic lamb burrito things in Amsterdam. I get cravings and can’t find them anywhere in the states. 😦

After returning from studying in Europe back in the 90s, I was so excited to share this fabulous discovery I’d made, this unique treat no one had ever heard of, it tasted so good, I couldn’t wait to show it off, etc. etc.

Then I found Nutella on the shelves of my local grocery store the week I returned. Son of a…

In college the worst were always the kids who studied in Argentina. You could tell who they were because each one carried around an elaborate apparatus for making ‘mate’ tea, which they would explain is MUCH stronger than anything you can get in “the states” and they got totally addicted to it when they “lived” in Argentina. They would make a big show of making the stuff, sitting in the back of Spanish classes or out on the green. Pissed me off every time.

In defense of white people who have studied abroad, I would like to mention that we don’t actually all fit into the stereotype created here. Some of us actually learn the language of the country we’re going to before we go… (imagine that!!) and even speak it after returning home. We also come from junior colleges where studying abroad is half the price of University fees, and get to know (to some extent) the culture in which we are living. We do not all hang out with just Americans, although it is admittedly easy to do so when you’re in a new country with different cultural norms and language barriers. In my experience, all the Americans, including people of color, tended to dine together and to go out as a group, considering it’s not particularly safe to venture out alone in an area where you have no grasp of cultural expectations and a shaky grip on the language.
That being said, I would like to extend kudos to those students who have not asked the parents for money to go abroad, but rather have saved a few grand from working some shit job the semester before so they might have a chance to get out of their home town for a few months and experience another part of the world. Well done. And to those who knock us who have done it, give it a try. You might actually enjoy yourself.

Guilty as charged. Except I’m teaching English. In China. Where last semester I was hardcore (aka broke) and ate street food all the time, then my favorite place went away and now I am barricading myself in the dormitory making processed-cheese sandwiches.

And many of my friends are saying “Wow! You’re so BRAVE!”

Though I broke some of the standard white person travel rules by arriving alone to teach at a school where I don’t have a bunch of American cohorts, it’s really … not the scariest place to work and live. Most of the risks are overstated by guidebooks that sound like trembling nannies. I really should have learned some more Mandarin before I came, though. Jumped the gun because I needed the job. Qing wen, wo yao cesuo. (“Please, I want the toilet.”)

What makes white people most proud: Posting pictures on Facebook of said trip. Be sure to include one of a malnourished local child you saw on your one excursion into the “real [insert country name].” Add a comment artfully describing the touching moment when you gave the child a real American quarter for his time. Be sure to include how that small $0.25 donation is more than his family makes in a year. This one photo will more than make up for the debauchery you posted in the rest of the same album.

I think living in a Madrid dorm with kids from Spain/Central/South America instead of in an apartment with a bunch of other North American students should go some way towards justifying serial bar-hopping, nearly constant intoxication and city-wandering right? Then again, I am a complete WASP anyway.

My now x-boyfriends roomate will NOT shut up about the trip she took to Africa, and most people think its pretty funny. My little sister put a facebook posting on my wall joking about it and the girl saw. She was able to convince my boyfriend to break up with me over it….SCREW AFRICA

i LOVE this blog. it’s amazing, and surprisingly true. i studied abroad in spain and acquired a taste for cruzcampo beer. and it is NOT available in the US (but its parent company is heineken… and i was upset about that lol).

p.s.: i’m black. lol. but i like some of the stuff white people like, too.

Yes, I’m currently studying in Scotland (for a Ph.D. so I’ve ticked two boxes, not to mention that I married an Asian woman)…the only other thing I would suggest is that white people (Americans mostly) like British accents, and typically come back to the States with some minor inflection and/or British words (i.e. using ‘brilliant’ or ‘cheers’ in conversations wherever possible). They like British accents because it is one of the few things in the world that has the power to instantly make them feel inferior and uncultured.

I am a girl from Germany and I’ve spend a year at an American Highschool – that’s why this blog is really funny for me, although European whites (if you don’t count for the fact that we don’t have many people that are not white) are pretty different.
Why is every American so excited about Europe? And about riding a train or using a bike? It’s hilarious and a 100 % true.

Oh, I often say “In America…” although my Highschool time has been almost 5 years ago now. So that’s the same in every country.
But we don’t always drink beer. I mean, not every day. American students do. That’s my impression, at least 😉

this site is what RICH WHITE PEOPLE who live in the suburbs like….i live in philadelphia and am white and dont like half the things on this list…..white inner city people are different from the rich yuppies who live out in nice big houses

while most of the things on this list make me laugh (and feel a tad uncomfortable when i find myself nodding in agreement…) i feel i must emphasize and agree with the people who pointed out the relatively small percentage of american college students who actually study abroad. while many of the things listed are correct (i haven’t crossed all of them off yet, but i’m working on it), study abroad really is a great opportunity that more students should take advantage of.

that being said, i’m a white girl studying in the whitest country on earth – Ireland. Believe me. There are about 3 black people in the county I live in. Being an ethnicity other than white is a complete novelty. I never in my life thought I’d find somewhere whiter than my suburb in America, but this country takes the cake. its wonderful and gorgeous – but man. do they need some diversity.

justindash is sooo true! while i was in spain, i was so used to making orders in spanish, so when i came back and ordered at chipotle, i did so in spanish… but i did complain in english about the amount of sour cream and cheese they gave me. lol. i sit at work and read this stuff all day.

ooh! i work with a lot of white people, so let me say that they like making a big deal about miniscule things, clogs (women), crocs, and happy hour.

i think i may begin the blog “stuff black people like”… it might work. lol 🙂

I know someone like that. He did not study in Germany. He was stationed over there, but he loves to insert the following into a conversation, “When I was living in Germany….”
What a bore! Oh, and he is white.

Okay, so I studied at Oxford while an undergrad at Stanford but I try very hard not to bring that up because NO ONE likes to hear about it. 🙂 Seriously.
Other ideas:
What about how white people like to look down upon other people’s exhuast spewing cars (like older trucks and cars owned by lower-earning immigrants)?
What about how while people like to leave work at noon to run or take a yoga class and feel that they’re entitled to this luxury?
What about how white people like to say they “should volunteer if they only had the time so they give money instead”?
What about how white people like to complain about the incovenience of a home remodel – “We don’t even have a kitchen sink. If I have to eat toast one more time for breakfast I’m gonna cry.”?
What about how white people loooooove sunscreen and sun-blocking clothing?
What about expensive ice-cream – oh, especially from the place where they mix it with graham crackers and candy, etc.?
Okay, back to work.

Don’t forget the Peace Corps! White people love the Peace Corps. This gives them an opportunity to feel altruistic for 2 whole years. And after the Peace Corps experience, it it is a great conversation piece; they can say, “When I lived in (insert global South country) I ate/saw/did this.” A bonus is marrying someone from the host country. Then you can really prove that you are not a racist!

hahahaha, i love the 4th paragraph, with the exception of “not learning anything” it sums up my experience abroad this past summer, hahaha. including the short lived relationship with someone i met the first night out in the bar! hahahahahahahaha

The first time I studied abroad (yes, the first) a white friend and I developed a competition to see who could rack up the most sexual partners. We recorded our progress in a diary. Of course, being that I’m gay and he’s straight, I won without much competition.

And then the second time I studied abroad, I moved to the country and lived there for two years before coming back to finish my arts degree. And next year I’m moving back to the country permanently.

Brilliant. I studied abroad in Italy years ago…now I work there teaching (read: mocking) assholes similar to the ones I ignored during my study abroad (haha)…I just can’t quit the Italian cock…So, keep coming to Italy white people. It pays my bills!

The best is if you say you studied/worked abroad in the Middle East/North Africa/any Muslim country. Even though it’s more dangerous than Africa, this will work to your advantage because they’ll be impressed that you were able to survive living in a “war-torn area” and will want to know what your “unique perspective” is on the current situation there.

Also my mom studied abroad in Poland when it was still communist, and other white people think this is really really really really fascinating. Anyplace that has a non-democratic government (or did when you studied there) is really impressive to liberal white people.

You forgot the pinnacle of all white mans studies abroad and that is Semester at Sea. I sailed around the entire globe on a boat filled with nothing but white faces. Your comments on Africa were spot on, the closest we got to Africa was Egypt, which isen’t really Africa now is it.

I did a study-abroad in Colombia way back in the ’70s, when cocaine was $6 a gram. it was even more pretentious than that: I went thru Antioch College’s work/study program, and I was supposed to be helping in the medical clinic of my Colombian boyfriend’s uncle.

I want to add the corollary to this is the liberal arts wonder that is the language major who can barely string a noun and a verb together in their second language. “Now, wait, your parents paid $120,000 for you to learn Spanish/French/Italian and you can’t even speak the damn language? Wow do you suck.”

I studied spanish, speak damn fluent mexican spanish (I got robbed by the cops in Mexico City, and pulled over on suspicion of being an Italian gun runner in Chiapas. I am loved for those stories) and I love the linguistic equivalent of developing an annoying taste for the local beer: White Girls who can’t even order food in spanish will acquire the most annoying phoneme of a particular country’s accent, while completely failing to acquire the rest of the language. For all of you out there who have friends who say “grathias”, “chamar”, or “pue’ “, but still can’t figure out the difference between the past and the imperfect, you know what I’m talking about…

the more obscure the better–i purposely studied in denmark (although still safely in europe)–because it was more obscure than the normal study abroad locations. and, oh, i do talk about carlsberg beer (even though i don’t even really like it anymore). man, i’m so white!

Does serving in Iraq for a year count? I guess it depends on where and when you served to some people. For me, being in Baghdad during 2004 is the quintessential white person study abroad experience. 2003 has its perks as well. This past year would probably not rate as high.

I must say, as a white person I feel infinitely cooler having studied abroad in Africa than my Europe abroad friends. (Admittedly, mostly because that makes me a way more progressive, cultivated white person) In my experience, contrary to what you said, the fact that they were too scared to study abroad there makes them think I am even more awesome for having done it. As an added bonus, I studied public health there, which is ultra progressive for whites 🙂 I try not to point out that my personal experience in blonde South Africa was far more white than what they got in say, Spain.

When I lived in the UK I made a bunch of friends the first night at the student union/pub, hooked up with a German exchange student, learned that community health is 10 years behind in the UK, and developed a taste for draught Strongbow cider and i can’t find it down South where i live.

Sierra leone? isn’t that where the treasure was? you know – the bogart movie “the treasue of sierra leone”. What does New Mexico have to do with Africa?

The one country in africa you must never mention by name is the gambia, because the form of the name makes it sound like a) a convenience store or b) a communicable disease (possibly STD). A white persons embarrassment at having this glaring lack of african literacy pointed out to them will make you a permanent pariah.

i studied abroad in east africa and i find the end of this post incredibly true. friends of mine who have studied in europe and south america often impress people with their stories of cultural diversity and amazing food. when i mention living in africa for over four months, the overwhelming response i recieve is “was it like so gross?” (the word ‘like’ is very important), “did you have to like live like they do?”, and most importantly… “seriously? gross”. oh america, how i sarcastically love you!

Yeah, like when George Bush was surprised to hear that there are black people in Brasil, the country with a larger black population that any other country besides Nigeria. More sad than funny, I guess.

semester abroad in law school is one LAST hurrah before that first dreadful job. everyone knows this, and its marketed as such. it will be a good looooong while before we can ever traipse through foriegn cobblestone streets without anything more pressing due the next day then 20 pages of reading.

If you have an extensive LIBRARY of Lonely Planet and Blue Guide Books (especially the ones that fit an entire continent on a shoestring) you get seven gold stars. BUT… if you own and least two editions from the Culture Shock series (Culture Shock India, Culture Shock Russia) you will be crowned emperor/empress of cool.

Wow – at least you know where Australia is – most young Americans know nothing about the rest of the world and very little about the good ‘ol US of A – couldn’t find their own arse.
(War is God’s way of teaching Americans geography etc)

First of all, where is damn and why hasn’t he pooped his pants? I miss him.

And B, you really must do a post on Middle-Aged white people who love nothing better than to spend HOURS comparing top-class hotels in a dozen countries. Down to the kind of robes and toiletries they supply. It’s fucking excruciating.

BTW, I have a very sarcastic, oftentimes satirical blog about Italian wine and traveling around NYC and Italy, mostly on biz. I am several times older than you callow turd birds. But I’m still the douche bag I’ve always been.

Agreed. I had a job sending these people out. Half the time you couldn’t get them to even look at a country that didn’t speak English even if the classes were. Unless their parents were #78’s looking for multilingual children, then they would go to one of the countries mentioned in that entry.

And oh yeah, they were scared to even look at Africa. Of course some of them couldn’t find the place they wanted to go on a globe. (more Miss SC candidates out there…)

Learn nothing? Definitely. Some of the worst grades of their college careers (for the guys especially).

White people abroad… not fun to keep tabs on half the time. It paid the bills for a while, and it earned bonus white points.

Another bonus… the overwhelming majority of students were attractive white females.

White people love Tibet why? Its strange how liberal white people love the Dalai Lama but no longer respect the Pope. The Dalai Lama considers gay people abominations doesn’t allow women any role in society and traditionally had shamans or any other religious figures besides Lamaist monks killed. Plus the Dalai Lama and Bush are best friends. Just because hes Asian and he wears cool orange robes. 150 thousand white people are pushing and shoving for the chance to kiss the Dalai Lamas feet. I guess hes the one Asian guy white girls find sexy

Not true for the program I went on; I actually worked while taking classes full time (work was actual work) and the classes were so helpful. For example, one class was international contract drafting where we actually had to draft contracts- something never offered at my home institution.

By the way, studying abroad was cheaper than staying at my home institution and more people should do it. This stupid blog contributes to the notion that it’s an “elitist” or “white” thing, when really Americans are woefully unconnected to people from other countries and need more exposure. Anything that gets Americans out of the country (except for war) is always a good thing. One hopes that studying in a foreign country will be a stepping stone to further international activities later in life. Students from Europe, Australia, and NZ study abroad, work abroad and vacation abroad in much higher percentages than Americans do anyway.

i love it… i spent last semester in bilbao, spain (home of the guggenheim for those of you who’ve read the architecture segment of this blog) and all i have to say is that this post is completely true. and absolutely hilarious at the same time. i’ve passed this along to several of my friends that i met while in spain, and really, we can’t stop laughing about it. great job…

I think a very important part of studying abroad for white males is growing your hair to your shoulders and a longer beard if possible AND never washing it more than once a month. When I went to Germany for a year and aquired a taste for BEER, and rode the TRAIN EVERYWHERE, my friends and I made sure that we never got a haircut or shaved. And while it is pretty much mandatory, the problem is not only does it make the locals know who to mug in an dark alley, but it also leads to less than desirable relationships, which you will have the pleasure of regretting for years.

Sorry Amy, but being a woman in Italy doesn´t count for ” I got to know some locals”.
Especially if you are a white girl, as implied by the blog – cioè con la dieta e la figura giusta – and the locals were males.

A a French guy there, trust me, I never got to kiss an Italian the first night on her vespa 😦

Haha Alex that is so true. Here in Cairo I have watched the metamorphosis of the study abroad male. he comes to Egypt fresh, bright eyed and bushy tailed, ready show off his knowledge of Arabic and Middle Eastern affairs, and leaves bearded and greasy wearing his staple unwashed Save Palestine t-shirt and Palestinian scarf that he may have picked up at the local tourist bazaar, or even spring break in the West Bank were he hopes the CIA will some day send him to do field-op work (assuming the CIA will hire him).
Side note: should mention the “competition” going among the study abroad population to visit the most politically turbulent countries in the region over spring break. A few faves are Iran, Syria, Lebanon, Iraq (yes, Iraq!), and the West Bank. Agents in Training.

I’m half-white, and when I “lived” in the Czech Republic, I would take the train everywhere. But I sometimes take the train in Canada too, so how do I get to act superior? Hmm… Let’s see. When I “lived” in the Czech Republic, I’d go visit a castle every once in a while. There’s an awful shortage of castles in Canada.

I studied in Cyprus. Best decision i ever made. we took a trip to egypt, after 1.5 days we had seen everything we needed/wanted. i was not impressed. the greek islands, however, are where i plan to live when i’m a big girl.

If you’re a language major, how can you NOT go to a country where the language is spoken?

True, many SA stories begin with “This one time in Paris, I was so drunk that…”, but you often learn things inspite of yourself. Learn one or two slang expressions not documented in textbooks and you can intimidate all the other students in the department with your knowledge.

Hiddy everyone I stumble on to this website its funny but I am studing abroad in like a month and have no clue what to pack like do I need the adapter thingies for plug ..how much toothpaste do I need…..and so on any one with tips wiould be a big help

i am so white, oh man. i just spent all day telling my parents’ friends about how i studied abroad/backpacked (do i get double points for this?? juuust kidding) in south america for a semester. hahahaha i feel dumb, it is such a status thing.

and the whole ranking thing? exactlyyy. anyone can go to europe or australia. cool people go to asia. hardcore kids study in south america. and the all out, vegan, bumper-stickin’, politically active, future parent of 2.56 kids will go and study in tibet. no one messes with that sort of white person. ha.

and as soon as they get home, they totally have the right to slap a “FREE TIBET” sticker on the prius.

ooooohhh stereotypes, i love it. i am laughing so hard.

oh and ps. yeah, lets be honest. studying abroad is only about 10% actual studying, most of it is drinking and hookups (aka vacationships)

I have not studied abroad, but have visited Europe multiple times. And yes, I love to talk about my trips and also throw in remarks about “my friend Ariane, who lives in Switzerland” because then people think I am cool. 🙂

Why else would you take a trip abroad if you couldn’t talk about it???

– tying in the studying with some sort of job or internship. As always, non-profit organizations are most desirable (See Post #12).

– bringing a foreign boyfriend/girlfriend/spouse back to the U.S. Self-explanatory, not to mention the excellent potential for a great hyphenated last name for your offspring (See Post #22)

Note: If you did Semester at Sea, never disclose this fact to any white person. This is worse than not studying abroad at all since you had the money and time to study abroad yet squandered the opportunity.

I’m surprised as many others did a semester abroad during law school. It’s not nearly as common as summer abroad law programs.

I agree with the last poster, some courses really do add value. You can play it either way – take sham classes and screw off the whole time while getting enough credits to graduate, or you can take courses that might actually come in handy (hint: anything that doesn’t start with ‘intro to’ or ‘comparative’).

Yes, i completely agree with this… white people love studying abroad, I go to the University of Texas and i plan on spending a semester in Europe, its always good to visit the continent I originated from.

Really, even more than study abroad, white people love to “backpack through Europe.” The best white people do this after graduating college, but some try it out after graduating high school. As long as they bring back pictures of them carrying a large back pack through hostels in Amsterdam, Madrid, Paris, and London, these “backpacking trips” are the “best experiences they’ve had in their lives.”

You’re “from” UT? What, you were created in a biochemistry lab? Maybe you meant you ATTENDED UT. Fine, welcome to Texas. Don’t forget to go home.

Austin fucktards in their saggy-assed cargo “shorts” (capri pants for girly men) and flip-flops are the epitome of every negative white person stereotype on this list. Do the rest of Texas a favor and reduce your environmental impact by hanging yourself with an organically-grown hemp-fiber rope. Or drown yourself in Barton Springs, just don’t step on any salamanders.

I’m going to lose some of my white person cred here but I think that studying abroad is a huge waste of time and money, unless your major is directly tied to the country or area that you’re going to.
Most people who I know that studied abroad didn’t seem all that different or enlightened when they came back. It just seemed like they had an abnormally long vacation. They can never really tell me anything significant that they learned during their trip.
Most white students (and other students) would get a much greater benefit by working real jobs (even minimum wage) during their breaks or even while school is in session. I learned more about the real working world from jobs that I had in high school and college than I did in any class and certainly more than I would have from a semester in Vienna.
Maybe I’m biased against this because I came from a poor family, a major reason for my lack of a semester in London, but in hindsight I realize that I would’ve treated it like a free vacation, not an educational experience.

this is so funny! practically everyone i went to high school with and go to college with does study abroad… and they keep doing it after they graduate too! i always wonder why they don’t just get jobs…

Awesome post. I studied abroad in New Zealand and had an absolute blast. Your statement ‘When I used to live in [insert country], I would always…’ couldn’t be more true. I feel like that’s all I heard from other people before I went and found myself doing the same when I got back.

Don’t forget that white people love to throw the terms “difficult,” and “nerve racking,” into every sentence they feel they must share with anyone close to them while discussing the decision making process. It makes the study program seem that much more important and thus they earn much more ac cumin amongst their peers, parents, and future employer(s). You should also note that the white study abroad experience is directly related to the “being offended” and “[being outdoors]” articles. Great article indeed!

Studying abroad is everyone’s dream..being in a regarded university and taking up a course there is a fulfillment for some..though the sad thing is that is not that easy due to the cost of it…and other factors as well mainly the culture..

Funny, my college offers study abroad programs to Mexico, Brazil, Spain, Italy, Japan and China. No country from Africa. For Africa, you’d have to replace study abroad with U.S. Peace Corps, great idea for a new post.

I hear you dude. I’ve had several people from college who keep ‘studying abroad’ and thinking they are going to teach english or some other non-paying, non-experience building job. Oh, and people in this situation are completely mooching off their parents still.

What do you think is learned, when the only people you hang with are other Americans. The money situation for most is killing. What cost a dollar at home cost a euro abroad.

In most countries, your fellow local college students are better prepared, and live at home. Who wants to hang with a bunch of Americans that are so broke, they get smashed before commng to the bar. Oh, outside of the UK most people get smashed at home, not at bars.

If you do get to Europe, show some reserve at social gatherings. Your local peers grew-up drinking wine and spirits, at home. Most develope a somewhat mature regard for booze.

i went to spain, and i learned a LOT of spanish, which was relevant to my minor is SPANISH…and i learned a lot about the spanish culture and how they live…a lot about relaxing and taking my time to get somehwere

when i came back i realized how much i rush to things that arent that time relevant.

while i had tons of fun there, we did spend a lot of time in museums learning about local artists and important figures…we got to stand in the room where christopher colombus asked the queen for money and ships to travel to america…stuff like that is very humbling

hahaha this article is right on. I took a “gap year” between high school and college and lived in Chile during that time. I would always catch myself saying “when I lived in Chile…” after I came home, and lorded it over my friends who started college right away and missed out on the incredible experience of studying abroad lol
SO WHITE

New Zealand offers a wide range of courses with high academic and research standards that includes different programs, degrees and courses which provides an excellent study abroad opportunities for overseas students. Compared with other countries, New Zealand has its unique features and diversity with its growing culture and has a great privileges for those who wish to live, work and study in New Zealand.

dude i’m about to go to argentina and i was totally planning on doing that when i got home also……..if my white status changes in the next 4 months at least i’m sure i’ll make a rebound when i come home.

haha, I studied abroad in Tibet. BEFORE I went to college. you’d think that people would be interested in this but really that’s the end of the conversation. It is the ultimate trump card. Nothing can beat Tibet.

yeah…. that’s fine and all…… but can you tell me how many medical schools New Zealnd has right now??? I come from Fiji which is a very small country when compared to New Zealand but already we have two medical schools……… and the great thing is we follow Problem Based Learning and that MBBS is an undergraduate program!!!

actually, i think the middle east is a contender for the hot new place for white people to study abroad. amman in particular is crawling with white kids studying arabic and white people expats doing ngo work on iraq from a safe distance.

Whats funny is that the Americans who come and study abroad in Australia (at least at my university) only ever hung out with other americans, hooked up with other americans, downloaded their american TV and complained that they couldn’t get their american food….

I feel a bit uncomfortable posting on a site called, “stuff white people like” but here goes. I studied in AFRICA in 1997 as a newlywed, and I’m proud of it. (By the way, I’m white) It was a positive, life-changing experience for me. I just started blogging about it, and would love to share my experiences with you. If you’re brave enough to read a lot about a white girl’s experiences in Africa, that is.
-Katyhttp://www.planetperspectives.blogspot.com

studying abroad is a joke. Everyone I know had such a good time and loves telling you about it. Then I ask them if it was hard or easy. They told me it was an easy A. So if you wanna pay $4K for an easy A then you are not supporting our country. You might as well have just said mommy can I please go study abroad I will be the bestest child in the whole wide world. Have a nice day. Its like how frat boys get good jobs even though they are all cocaine heads and drug dealers…maybe frats were different when our parents were growing up.

I am white. I studied abroad in college. I lived in Spain for 10 months. Unlike most large state universities that house all their study abroad students in a big dorm on the campus of whatever country’s university you are studying with…I went to a very small private school that sent only 7 of us over for the year, and we were all split up around Madrid. We each lived in very different neighborhoods with families that spoke NO English. We were pretty much forced to learn the language and live in the culture. Don’t get me wrong…I had a great time, and I will gladly say that the trip was very inspiring…but it was NOT an easy “A”….maybe it was for those friends of yours who were likely speaking English for the entire three months they were away, but not for me. And yes…I have a good job (attorney), but I was not a “sorority girl”….

I truly enjoy how serious everyone takes this site. The stupid white people who get offfened(Bing Offened #101), and the morons that actually think this is a true representation of white people. I’m sorry, but white on this site means wealthy, liberal, college educated, gen. X’er and younger.

Too damn funny. I once dated a girl (white of course) who studied in Germany, she saved money by buying cheap train tickets to locations 4 to 5 hours away from Berlin and sleeping on the train during the round trip. FANTASTIC!

This post made me laugh alot. I’m probably going to go backpacking around Europe/Australia/Asia/where ever while I’m here in college and live cheaply on my parents money while doing so! But at least I’ll learn about whats out there in the world during my travels.

Hey dude, where I can find more info about foreign universities that are free for everyone? I’ve just came back from studying abroad in Paris that was very unsatisfying b/c I was surrounded by Americans all the time that fit the blog description!!

Then there is the conversation killer of studying abroad in Africa. If you studied in Africa, it is usually a good idea to keep it quiet, it will remind white people that they were too scared to go and they will feel bad. Use this only in emergencies.

Yep, I studied abroad twice, or technically three times if you count the summer before the second time. And then I taught English abroad after college. It kinda saddens me that you actually can find Orangina and Nutella here Stateside. I still have yet, though, to find a reputable Hefeweizen.

“white on this site means wealthy, liberal, college educated, gen. X’er and younger.”

Isnt’ everyone else white trash? Kidding! Seriously, KIDDING! I agree that anyone who gets angry over this site takes it WAY too seriously. The best part about this site is that no matter how many of these things don’t describe you, you find that one that is totally knocking on you. In my case, the one about Asian girls. Keep up the good work!

One other classic Study Abroad trait is the annoying habit of playing the music of that particular country when you return. Take the case of my college roommate, who thought it was hipper-than-thou to only play crappy Italian pop music for 6 straight months after he got back. Absolute party killer.

Oh, just thought of one more: don’t EVER go to a foreign-type restaurant “stateside” with someone who has studied abroad in that particular country or area. Regardless of the actual quality of the food/drink, they will proceed to bash everything there and proclaim how awesome and authentic everything was back in Europe/Asia/wherever. And God forbid they try to speak the native language to waitstaff in an attempt to be cool. We about peed our pants when our roommate tried to order in Italian, and the waitress just gave him a quizzical look and said, “Uh, I’m Dominican”

If people take this site too seriously, why do you emphasize that you’re kidding so much? The internet is full of racist comments, mentioning white trash isn’t going to get anyone mad at you.

I guess that other than the “Right Kind of White People” there’s white trash, Canadians, yuppies, Europeans, old money rich people, and decent, hardworking blue collar America. And yes, there is definitely a difference between White Trash and poorer people with dignity. White trash wouldn’t know dignity even if it was suspended from bling and spelled “Digg-Nitty”

yeah, i’m at ucl, too. this program’s no joke…mandatory attendance and multiple classes every single day. the seminars require in-depth participation, or else you get called out by the professor. also – i have 8 10-page papers, all due at the same time. i almost wish i stayed home because it would have been so much easier. but the professors are great, and london is a great jumping off point for the rest of europe.

It is not uncommon for people to associate study abroad with a party overseas, but this simply isn’t true. More and more students of color are taking advantage of study abroad also. Some surveys suggest that students who study abroad, earn about 5K more in starting salaries than those who do not. These surveys also suggest that students who study abroad tend to have a competitive advantage, above the rest, and get better jobs than their peers.

You don’t have to study abroad for a long period of time to reap its benefits. If you are looking for a short-term experience, search the Study Abroad Programs Directory. on Facultyled.com. You can search by keyword, key phrase, or do an advanced search with multiple criteria. It’s very easy to find exactly what you want and need, in your area of specialization or interest. Whether you want to do Ethnobotany in China or Chemistry in Romania, you’ll find what you need on Facultyled.com

No, you fool, it does not “take one to know one”. It takes knowing one person who’s done this to know every single person who’s done it because you all come back the same. You think your petty experiences are individual and unique and you espouse this belief whenever you have the chance regardless of whether anyone cares anymore or wants to hear it in the first place. If any part of your life held any merit, perhaps you wouldn’t have had to flee your empty routine for the sake of making your character appear interesting.

As a non-white, this website is bittersweet. It serves its purpose of making me laugh but the fact that the North American white experience can be summed up in these little five paragraph summations is unnerving at the same time. I didn’t demean your life, I simply drew attention to its worthlessness and homogeneity. Were I to point out the sky is blue, my perception wouldn’t be what makes it so. If you actually feel the slightest bit of offense from what a stranger assumes about your life over the internet, I dare say my feelings are simply resonating with yours and you can’t bear to face it. At least you’re aware of this. If you so choose, you have the power to change it. If not, enjoy remaining a hollow and pretentious stereotype.

Yeah, I understand, I just would never feel the need to say something like that to a stranger for no particular reason. Don’t worry though, my life is actually extremely awesome, even without my year abroad. In some ways, that year was a joke, because I spent so much of it doing useless exchange student stuff. So it’s not like I can’t appreciate the irony of this article.

Hey asshole, a lot of students study abroad because they want to see something outside of what they know, because they want to learn about other cultures, or maybe because they think Australia is fucking cool and they want to learn how to surf. Any reason for studying abroad is a good reason…especially if it’s going to Europe just show the stereotypical snob Europeans how wrong they are about Americans. What country are you from Jonathan? How about I put your entire country under one stereotype that isn’t at all true? All British people have fuck ugly teeth. French people are pussies who, if it weren’t for the badass Americans, would be speaking German right now. Germans are alcoholics and speak a horribly ugly and angry language. Italians are violent mobsters. Spanish guys who are straight dress like girls. Should I go on or do you get the point? You can’t assume an entire nation of people are the same.

And did you learn to talk like that in gay ass Europe? Did you “find” yourself?

Why dont all of you study abroad pussies just stay in pussy ass Europe where you belong?

You talk as if going to another country and learning their culture is something new. Like you’re the first person that has ever traveled and now you must tell every one about how cool and chill and laid back the Europeans are.

Your incredibly verbose destruction of a person’s self-confidence made me piss myself a little. Usually pointless brutality on the internet makes me feel like the person is a lonely loser who can’t express their frustration in any other forum, but you, Jonathan, express yourself so well and so clearly that it is obvious you wouldn’t hesitate (much) to express yourself in the “real world.” I’m not sure if I should congratulate you on writing one of the funniest and insightful “flamings” I’ve ever read on the internet, or just ingratiate myself so you don’t take out your frustration on me.
That, and if I have to hear about my buddy Brando’s “year abroad” in Ireland one more time, I might have to Karate Kid Crane Kick him straight to the dome.

there is nothing wrong with studying abroad, as long as the yankees dont make total asses of themselves. a flaw of the u.s. is that we dont get out enough.

BUT, if i have to hear about “my year in _____ was simply amazing” from one more of my friends i might have to stab them. yes, ok, oizo or whatever that greek drink is sounds awesome, but i dont give two shits about how much it costs compared to this $3 bud lite. Im sure the australian blue mts are beautiful, no i dont want to see 400 pictures of some rocks.

AND god forbid you are with two people that studied abroad TOGETHER, this is the most volatile mix of endless drunken stories and, the worst of all, feeble attempts to speak to each other in _____ language. This combination has ruined many a night for me.

ive studied abroad. i got drunk, i saw monkeys and beaches, it was fun. now i shut the fuck up about it.

i enjoyed reading this while i am bored in class in Asia on my study abroad. Plus now i’m also pretending to learn a new language which amounts to ordering drinks and telling taxi drivers to take me place.. places like bars and clubs..

let’s not forget how many stories we hear revolving around not showering in some foreign country and sleeping on benches/beaches/bus stations/random inanimate objects because “it just FELT right… I mean, that was (insert country,) you know? you just gotta do it!” listen, i’ve been there, but there’s no need to remind me that water didn’t touch your hair for 17 days. not something I wanna imagine while crammed in next to you at a bar. i’m glad you smell better now… let’s just leave it at that.

We’re all the same, dude. Skin color, nation of origin, we’re all the fucking same. Your life is as meaningful as you make it, and that doesn’t matter where you’re from or what color skin your have. We’re all people. You share 99% of the same DNA with Denmark there. What makes you guys so different?

americans are like pests in Australian universities. stay at home cause the way things are going australian kids will go to america to study and yanks will come here to study.

more often than not they fill the position of those inspiring people they see on the train who are going to entry level factory jobs. Then they arrive at there class to find out that smart australians have forced them into a class with 10 other american students, a few canandians and a bunch of chinese students that don’t speak english or socialise with english speaking people. ahh all the cultural experience of the usa in humble little australia have fun idiots.

You’re right, it is a bit disconcerting how accurate these stereotypes are! I know so many people who are perfect embodiments of these paragraphs on the Internet.

I am even dropping my English major because I now learned that white people are not actually intellectuals at all — they are all imposters who pose as intellectuals! And once you dig a little deeper, you realize that there’s nothing there! If that’s not disillusionment, I don’t know what is!

Notice how the Middle East doesnt rank…yes, do not go to the Middle East for study abroad. At least if you studied in Africa they assume you’re curing terrible diseases. If you tell stories of an Arab study abroad, they smile politely and try to figure out if you’re more likely to blow up their apartment or bug their library card.

Had a friend who was in Europe for two weeks, and then later spent a week in Jamaica teaching kids music education during Christmas break. I quote “Living in Europe makes you grow up fast, man.” Like no shit Sherlock. Too bad you were hand held by a travel agency each time you went abroad. But do you know what, I’m happy for him; I think he never came in contact with black people before.

And for me? I never studied abroad (wish I did), but I do fieldwork in the ghettos of a major midwest city. No study abroad program will offer me that kind of “real life” experience. It’s not how far you travel, it’s how you interact with people and squeeze every opportunity to learn regardless if the person you come in contact speaks English or not.

I know one intern that studied in Rome, another one that went to Prague, and another one planning to go to Paris. All of them are white and they love to tell their stories about being overseas. Note: white people love to travel to Paris, Prague, or Florence

Are you fucking kidding me? accumulating sexual partners a white stereotype? thats the blackest and most hispanic stereotypes ever. Binge drinking goes to the mexicans and DRUG USE is this a joke? i dont know a single black person that hasnt touched a drug. fuck that

Geez, white people are getting bashed for being diverse now? Maybe more people should learn about other culture….just for the experience and to gain understanding and tolerance for others. White people used to get bashed for being ignorant. This whole list is a bunch of ignorance.

Some of us worked 60 hours a week in laboratories while we studied abroad…

And you don’t have to be a rich fuck to go abroad.. my scholarship to Germany paid me enough to rent a flat and survive while I was there. There were no other Americans from the program at my host institution..

I agree that the typical semester abroad programs offered by American universities are pointless. One has to search for a real rewarding experience.

High schools have the student exchange program for many years: That’s a great way for any American to study in another country for a year. Europe is the most favored area of choice followed by east Asia, Latin America or the Middle East. For an American teen stay in Europe is like heaven to a minor under drinking age or the fact, the minor cultural difference in how teenagers are treated than in the US. +

If I only had a chance to get in an ISE program in my teen years to France or western Europe, it won’t go well to my Mom and Dad (he’s French though) and I shouldn’t be in others’ supervision in a foreign country. My part-American Indian roots may attract a few political extremists, and how the Europeans will go “oh poor you Indian” like their society is free of racism or against “white” American colonialism. Whatever…Europeans have blood on their hands from its’ historical colonization or racial dominance in Africa, Asia and the Americas. White Europeans are whiter than…me. +

The ISE don’t want to see minorities from America moving in Europe and telling the EU how they’re maltreated by white majority society. It’s a political risk, like the US Supreme court lifted public school segregation in the 1954 Brown vs. Topeka board of schools was to curb anti-Americanism generated by Communism (the Soviets) during the cold war. The US insists they are the only free country in the world, when in fact now 90% of the European continent are democracies. Whenever the EU becomes an actual nation-state, the US will have a new competitor after China. +

The rise of anti-Americanism in Europe hasn’t surprised me, the problem is when Bush was president he was everything the Europeans didn’t like. Our politics, economies, culture, morality and theology here in America and Europe evolved differently…and the sense of Europe being more cultured, sophisicated or enlightened to undervalue the USA’s lone superpower status. America isn’t a land of slack-jawed yokels and Europe isn’t all “gay” pacifist socialist countries. The blog and the entries are talking about stereotypes of the two continents. +

Yeah Chip, what if they are white South Africans growing up during the era of Apartheid? The growing consciousness of how Apartheid was terrible and teamed up with black South Africans like Desmond Tutu and Nelson Mandela. Before the end of colonial rule in most of Africa (1960), a small white minority lived in a place that whites in other continents would call “exotic”. You probably should see the Last King of Scotland of local Euro Ugandans and British mercenaries, based on the true story of the rise of Idi Amin in Uganda, one of the most brutal leaders in the 20th century.+

Many former French colonial expats relocated to France in the 1960s & 70s from Africa and SE Asia, notably Cambodia when the Khmer Rouge regime in the late ’70s expelled all 30,000 European colons (residents of French descent when Cambodia was a French territory) as Pol Pot’s troops took over white-owned farms, ran businesses and influenced the Prince Sihuanok or Khmer Republic governments. +

Zimbabwe is a no-go zone for white European tourists, the country has no money and every bit of farmland is ruined. The Mugabe regime taken over the white minority lands be given to peasants in the land raids of the 2000’s. Mugabe is liable to international law for expelling white Europeans the same way Serbian president Milosevic was tried for promoting ethnic cleansing in former Yugoslavia (Bosnia) during the 1990’s wars. The thing is, how safe is it for an ISE or year study vacation for Americans as a whole? The number of former European colonies or anti-US regimes is widespread, so let’s stick around at home and learn about foreign cultures on the National Geographic channel. +

I visited France twice in my life (in June ’96 and Oct 2005), the first time was helped by a declining Franc and the other was to spend time with my ailing grandfather (he died the next year). The plane landed in Paris, so I gotten to see the world-famous city everybody wants to visit…and I was on top of the Eiffel tower! I got to ride on the Euro-tunnel under 30 miles of the Channel to Folkestone, England and back in Calais. It felt wonderful, interesting, exciting and memorable to visit a country in part of your family roots. +

My two cousins in their early 20s now are on EU-sponsored study vacations, one older is in Amsterdam and the other is in Barcelona, Spain. I heard from them on either going to Italy or Denmark, and they had an interest coming to the USA except more French students are going to study in Canada, Turkey, Australia, Japan and Argentina than here. They know some English, the younger knows Spanish and Italian well, and the older is good with Dutch or German. +

LoL, Australian universities are hotbeds for Chileans (speak of the word Chill) and other South Americans. Another place to study in is Russia, like universities in Moscow and St. Petersburg are experiencing waves of racial violence by Russian nationalists or skinheads attacked African and Asian students. I doubt American students should go to Russia at the present time, though Russian academic collegiate standards in math, science and engineering are superb compared to the US. +

What country is it in Asia, be specific here. I knew Vietnam, Thailand, Indonesia and Malaysia are said to shown a friendlier attitude to Americans. The University of Singapore is a major destination for overseas studies by Americans, then Japan, South Korea and the Philippines aren’t far behind. +

Being a “white person” I find this website absolutely hilarious. I particularly enjoy this post since I am currently studying abroad. I guess since I’m in Peru that beats all the people who went to Europe?

Shut the hell up dumbass. Take your ass back to Europe if you love it so much. Just sale your trailer, your pick up and put your one tooth mom on the block. Then, save up enough money to take your ass back and shut the fuck up.

Amazing! I love listening to people talk about how much they miss crepes from Paris, beer from Belgium and walking around Copenhagen! Working while taking a year off is good too. I drop grape picking in Switzerland and working in a Swiss kitchen from time to time!

Lol I’m American and spent last semester in Australia. The Aussies seemed to love me. They asked me a million questions all the time so they could hear my accent. First question out of every single Aussie students mouth? “Is America really like the OC????”

Hey Jimbo, Denmark is a very liberal country where cannabis use in not penalized, there are a lot of hippie communes, etc. You should read about Christiana, the ‘free’ city, inform yourself before thinking you’re so above others.

Better to use ‘the States’ than America. How do you think the other people of the Americas feel about the US monopolizing the use of that name? It would be like France all of a sudden calling itself ‘the United States of Europe’. How would other Europeans feel?

I am studying right now in Budapest, Hungary and my two flat mates are EASILY the whitest girls in the world. All they talk about is sushi and they get offended really easily at racist jokes not even directed at them. lol.

My wife is an American living in the UK and has had soup to nuts treatment for leukaemia, including bone-marrow transplant and all the latest therapies. She has instant access to the best medical care in the world. If she needs transport it is provided, along with many other ancillary services. If she hadn’t had private medical care in the US she’d be dead right now. Nice to be treated like a human being rather than a walking wallet.

Funny article, but I think you need to have some sort of intelligence test to read the site. Somebody seriously referenced this article to me when I was back home and visiting family.

I was sitting at a bar talking about the previous year with an old friend and a jackass turns to me and starts talking about “how stuff white people like was right” and that “study abroad isn’t actually living in another country”

Dumbfounded I pulled out my R.O.C Id card and my passport that had work permits for engineering from all the places I had lived and this dude just sulked away. I assume he later died from choking to death on hummus after a rowdy st pattys party.

Since the US government owns China billions of dollars, the American people will end up 0WND by the Chinese very soon, and we must find work in their toy factories or mega-mansions by the Chinese Communist party-state capitalists. We be slaves soon. Either we pay up or China shuts US (get it? USA) up. Now that’s for going abroad to work.

What the hell is up with Bean he always says the exact same comment he is more annoying than a fat prostitute with herpes that stands by the corner you have to drive by to get home from work or the homeless guy who always tries to wash your windows

This is hilariously true in my case. Studied abroad in mexico, this black girl (she may have been from Africa or second generation she spoke with a slight accent, but I couldn’t be sure, because…) HATED EVERYTHING! I never got to know her, and I cannot for the life of me remember her name, and I spent 10 weeks with her! I’ve been back to the study abroad place twice now because I loved it so.

Studying in the UK next fall… This site describes everything has annoyed me about everyone I know who has already gone abroad, and one who is in South america right now. The study abroad office at my school calls the “reverse culture shock” of returning part of the “nobody cares” syndrome.

What’s so dumb is that my American friends here in California go to Europe and do all sorts of “crazy” stuff… Bungee jumping, dance classes, skydiving, hiking, camping, museum visiting, etc. But you realize that you can do all of those things in AMERICA. They come back to school here in the US and turn up their nose at the local museum, refuse to ride public transit, take no time to go explore their city or local wilderness. It’s as if the rich cultures of many corners of America are totally invisible to the average American… The smallest hole in the wall restaurant in Europe is somehow “authentic”… But in the US, we’d all rather go to Denny’s. Ugh. Also, everyone wants to “Skype” when overseas… Hey FYI Europe has telephones too (landlines and phone cards make it dirt cheap). And writing blogs of time overseas… But never bothering to record their everyday life at home. If American students would only open their eyes to where they actually live… Instead of investing all their open-mindedness and spontaneity for a brief time overseas… Perhaps we’d all have more intersting lives.

I “studied abroad” in Valencia, Spain 3 July 1976 through the beginning of January 1977. I saw the first free elections in Spain since their Civil War in the late 1930s. I ran away from the Guardia Civil at demonstrations so that I would not get beaten. I saw the new monarchs of Spain introduce themselves to their subjects. I saw a thousand year old water court adjudicate water rights. I went to the Lladro porcelain factory. I went to a Roman amphitheatre that was in use. I wandered across “Free Europe” before The Wall came down.
As a young Airman I sampled the pleasures of Oxford, London, and Cambridge. I bought pints for a pub band called “Iron Maiden”. They performed ONCE at the Non-Commissioned Officers Club at RAF Station Upper Heyford; there was some damage. I listened to a 20 minute version of “Roxanne” by The Police (featuring Sting) at an outdoor festival at Milton Keynes (north of London). I got ½ price theatre tickets at the returned tickets kiosk in Leicester Square.
The point here is: you can have a good experience in any place where you go; it’s up to you to make it so.

False. It is NOT cheap to call from landlines; you’ll see how Skype becomes your best friend. And part of the reason why everyone does “crazy” things while abroad is that they are finally detached from many of the responsibilities they have while they’re home. This could be the same for a European that comes to America. The point is: it is very liberating to find yourself in a new place, with new people, new experiences etc. It opens up new possibilities that you may have never realized you would have liked or have wanted to do, and for many people it is the first time they experience something so foreign (pun intended). The “reverse culture shock” is hard to explain. The thing is, all you want to do is talk about all the incredible times you had abroad, but no one else wants to talk about it (and most people that study abroad know that). So there’s a balance that you must respect if you wanna keep your friends around. I think you’ll see when you go how much you will change your mind. There are only a handful of people that don’t a have a favorable study abroad experience, so don’t be one of them. Spend all your money on pub crawls and Ryanair flights, there’s lots and lots to see. Which brings me back to my original point: the reason landlines aren’t cheap is cause you’ll have no money left. Use Skype.

I studied abroad in Africa twice (once Namibia and the other time Morocco). And this article is soooooooo true. Every time I bring it up white people act uninterested and sometimes appalled that I would put myself at such high risk (because to them Namibia and darkest Congo are one in the same).

Hey now… What about the Toronto Blue Jays? And besides Japan, Mexico, the Caribbean and South America, where else is there a thriving baseball culture? “World Series” at least encompasses HALF of anyone who give a crap about baseball.

Preach on, brother. But the World cup of Baseball is a joke for the US team, usually defeated by other countries: Cuba, the Dom. Rep., So. Korea, Taiwan, Philippines, Colombia or Puerto Rico (US territory). So…how about them Jays?

I’m surprised at the number of people who don’t get that is website is a joke. For all of you who have studied abroad in Europe or Australia…you are being made fun of you. Even though you are “going abroad” this site is saying you are not stepping out of your comfort zone and aren’t learning jack. Go somewhere else and put yourself in a truly different culture. …I can’t believe this has to be spelled out.

This really only applies to Americans as everyone else see going abroad as a normal thing to do.
I am quite happy that the inwards looking dumbass ones, white, black or otherwise stay in the USA to be honest.

LOL I studied across the pond. Later on while hunting down some cheap online options for continuing my education, I heard that the cheapest is a pretty decent South African uni. I cornered a South African Dutch guy I knew from work in the elevator to ask him opinion. He looked at me like I was INSANE to even consider it.

Well as a South African who got her degree from a South African University I can tell you this: Quite a few local institutions are internationally recognized and the cost runs to about $6000 per year for both class fees and accommodation. In some cases you can get away with even less.

While our campuses are predominantly filled with Asia students, we do attract quite a fair amount of following from the European countries like Russia, Germany, Germany and Belgium. In fact, we do have lecturers from France too!

I’m going to an Irish bar in Turkey tonight, but man I wish they had Czech beer. I learnt about how good Czech beer is when I was in Sweden. Maybe they’ll have Czech beer when I go to India next but I don’t know.

I recently used an English editing service Uni-edit http://www.uni-edit.net/ They offer budget and high quality editing services. When I asked them to revise my manuscript, they were happy to do it. They are very friendly too.

Agreed. My time spent in Europe, although brief, was spent learning, not partying or acquiring new beer preferences. And the next year that I spend there, beginning in July, will also be spent learning. Learning to be culturally tolerant and not write lengthy blog posts ranting about what “white people” like to do. As if people of other ethnicities don’t study abroad. In fact, let me make mention of the Turkish exchange student in my class last year, or even the African American student that is going abroad at the same time that I am. (We’re buds. ❤ I love that kid, and I wish we could be headed to the same city again.)

And to further make my point clear, I have been working, yes- working, for four years, since age 14 (that makes me 18, check out that math) to PAY for this experience. So tell me what privileged white kids do and I will pull out a stack of pay stubs as thick as your AT&T iPhone bill.

Sure, I like to study abroad. And yes, to belong to a country on a student visa for 11 months is in fact LIVING somewhere. Acquiring language, culture, friends, a new home, and basically sticking your neck out and trying something that's unfamiliar and new.

And I'm in the first generation in my househould to go to college as well. Ah, how "typical" of me. I'm sure that because I am white, and because "white people" like to study abroad, that my parents are 100% supportive, both emotionally and financially. Wrong again.

Before you make sweeping generalizations about entire ethnic groups, check yourself. I would never make a blog devoted to what "insert ethnic group here" like, because that's entirely based on a foundation of ignorance and ill-founded malice.

You are so brave! Thank you for letting all of us know how special your study abroad experience was and also that you made a Black, oops, sorry I mean African-American, best friend on this trip! How fulfilling! How unique!

“And yes…I have a good job (attorney), but I was not a “sorority girl”

You could’ve just said “I have a good job”, adding (attorney) was a very white person thing to do. Plus, being an attorney is not a good job. Spending 80+ hours per week at an office when the rest of the world gets to spend time with friends and family is not “good” it is hell.

Hey! I’m going to law school for international law too! No, seriously… 🙂 By the way, I’m currently studying in Sweden! It’s the whitest I’ve ever felt and it freakin’ rocks! (Note: I’m Mexican-American) It’s all love baby!

That law school better be T-14 or you have about as much chance of doing “international law”* as Dick Cheney has of being voted “most lovable man in America”.

*Note: White people love “international law” but they can’t actually string a cogent sentence as to what that means. Thankfully, you are Mexican. So maybe you do know what it means beyond a faint idea of…um cross border something? Treaties?

Maybe if you want Czech beer, you should come to the Czech Republic! Fortunately, it also abounds with other Stuff White People Like, like theatre, architecture, indie music, a difficult language (but you don’t need to learn another alphabet), and girls with bangs.

White people are VERY comfortable with the idea of going to South Africa, but ONLY Cape Town. It grants them the credibility of saying they studied abroad in a developing nation while actually just living in one of the most modern, Westernized, whitest cities of Africa.

I’ve been surfing on-line more than three hours as of late, yet I by no means found any attention-grabbing article like yours. It is beautiful value sufficient for me. Personally, if all site owners and bloggers made good content material as you did, the net will likely be much more helpful than ever before.

Excellent goods from you, man. I’ve understand your stuff previous to and you are just too wonderful. I really like what you have acquired here, certainly like what you’re
stating and the way in which you say it. You make it entertaining
and you still take care of to keep it sensible. I cant wait to read much more from you.
This is actually a great site.

I do not even know how I ended up here, however I thought this put up was once great.
I do not understand who you are however certainly you are going
to a well-known blogger when you are not already. Cheers!

hello there and thank you for your info – I have certainly
picked up something new from right here. I did however expertise some technical
points using this website, as I experienced to reload the web site a lot of times previous to I could
get it to load properly. I had been wondering if your hosting is OK?
Not that I’m complaining, but slow loading instances times will sometimes affect your placement in google and can damage your high quality score if ads and marketing with Adwords. Anyway I’m adding this RSS to
my email and could look out for a lot more of your respective exciting content.
Ensure that you update this again soon.

Fantastic beat ! I would like to apprentice while you amend your web site,
how could i subscribe for a blog site? The account aided
me a acceptable deal. I had been a little bit familiar of this your
broadcast provided vibrant transparent idea

I really like your blog.. very nice colors & theme.
Did you make this website yourself or did you hire
someone to do it for you? Plz answer back as I’m looking to create my own blog and would like to find out where u got this from. thank you

We’re a gaggle of volunteers and opening a brand new scheme in our community. Your web site provided us with useful information to work on. You’ve done an
impressive task and our entire neighborhood will likely be thankful to you.

Hi there, I found your site by way of Google
even as looking for a comparable matter, your website got here up, it seems good.
I have bookmarked it in my google bookmarks.
Hello there, simply turned into alert to your blog via Google,
and found that it’s really informative. I am going to be careful for brussels. I’ll appreciate if you happen to continue this in
future. Numerous people will be benefited from your writing.
Cheers!

Do you have a spam problem on this site; I also am a blogger, and I was wanting to know your situation; we have
created some nice methods and we are looking to exchange strategies with others, be sure to shoot
me an e-mail if interested.

It’s perfect time to make a few plans for the future and it’s time to be happy.
I have read this publish and if I could I wish to suggest you some attention-grabbing issues or suggestions.
Maybe you can write subsequent articles relating to this article.
I wish to learn even more issues about it!

Do you mind if I quote a couple of your posts as long as I provide credit and sources back
to your weblog? My website is in the very same area of
interest as yours and my visitors would definitely benefit from a lot of the information you provide here.
Please let me know if this ok with you. Cheers!

Normally I wouldn’t examine publish upon information sites, having said that i wish to state that this particular write-up really urged me to see along with achieve this! A person’s writing style is amazed me personally. Appreciate it, great write-up.

Amazing, great weblog arrangement! How long will you be posting regarding? you make writing a blog look straightforward. The entire view of your web-site is amazing, while perfectly because the material!

I’m excited to uncover this web site. I wanted to thank you for your time for this particularly fantastic read!! I definitely savored every bit of it and I have you book-marked to look at new things in your web site.

Great beat ! I would like to apprentice while you amend your website,
how could i subscribe for a blog website? The account aided me a acceptable deal.
I had been a little bit acquainted of this
your broadcast offered bright clear idea

Heya excellent website! Does running a blog similar to
this require a lot of work? I’ve very little knowledge of computer programming however I had been hoping to start my own blog in the near future. Anyway, if you have any ideas or tips for new blog owners please share. I understand this is off topic nevertheless I simply had to ask. Thank you!

Somebody essentially assist to make severely articles I would
state. That is the very first time I frequented your web page and to this point?
I amazed with the analysis you made to create this particular
submit amazing. Excellent process!

I was curious if you ever thought of changing the layout of your
website? Its very well written; I love what youve got to
say. But maybe you could a little more in the way of content so people
could connect with it better. Youve got an awful lot of text for only having one or
two images. Maybe you could space it out better?

Good day! This is my first comment here so I just wanted to give a quick shout out and say I genuinely enjoy reading your posts.
Can you recommend any other blogs/websites/forums that go over the same
topics? Thank you!

I’m really enjoying the design and layout of
your website. It’s a very easy on the eyes which makes it much more enjoyable for me to
come here and visit more often. Did you hire out a designer to create your theme?
Fantastic work!

Woah! I’m really enjoying the template/theme of this blog.
It’s simple, yet effective. A lot of times it’s tough to
get that “perfect balance” between usability and
appearance. I must say you’ve done a excellent job with this.
Additionally, the blog loads very fast for me on Firefox.

I’ve been exploring for a bit for any high quality articles or blog posts on this
sort of house . Exploring in Yahoo I ultimately stumbled upon this website.
Reading this info So i am glad to show that I have a very excellent
uncanny feeling I found out exactly what I needed.
I so much surely will make sure to don?t omit this website and give it a glance on a relentless basis.

Pretty section of content. I just stumbled upon your website and in accession capital to assert that I acquire in fact enjoyed account your blog posts.
Any way I will be subscribing to your feeds and even I achievement you access consistently rapidly.

Howdy.
I just discovered your web site: #72 Study Abroad | Stuff White People Like when I was searching
delicious.com. It looks as though someone loved
your blog so much they decided to bookmark it – good job!

Thank you, I’ve recently been looking for information approximately this subject for a
long time and yours is the best I’ve found out so far. But, what in regards
to the conclusion? Are you sure concerning the source?

Howdy this is somewhat of off topic but I was wondering if blogs use WYSIWYG editors or
if you have to manually code with HTML. I’m starting a blog
soon but have no coding skills so I wanted to get guidance
from someone with experience. Any help would be greatly appreciated!

These are stronger when compared to other kinds of doors and can therefore withstand forces.
The handle that you select for the door and the insulation will all also contribute to
the overall cost. Park the buggy and walk in to drop off the supplies with Dan.

I took my time going through every side hallway and exploring everything
I could find, so by the time I finished it there was
little left for me to do. Also, unlike steel, wood does not dent and, thus,
will withstand the occasional stray basketball or hockey puck without any
problem. In this article we are mentioning some
of the prominent method that will eventually assist
the person in decorating their Garage Doors in appealing and remarkable
approach.

Animals playing with objects, animals playing with children or each
other and animals dressed in clothing items can all make
for original, humorous digital images that will
brighten anyone’s day. Actually, all of them are best choices, but it depends upon the quality of the construction and other accessories that are used in making
these doors. It may appear stupid to own a machine that only shapes metal into one form.

When getting estimates to replace your garage door make sure
you request a locally manufactured product. It is great for a cleaner to remove rust,
grease, and other substances but if used as a lubricant it
will not last and you will have to the re-lubricate the
door sooner. Your local DIY store will probably be able to
provide a range of budget doors but if you require a
good quality door then a professional garage door retailler will provide the best service.

These are stronger when compared to other kinds of doors and can therefore
withstand forces. Ask any professional and they will tell you that these two companies
have an equal, if not better, product than any national brand.
Its available in different colors and shade and can easily find one that
can fit with the color scheme of your walls.

Animals playing with objects, animals playing with children or each other and animals dressed in clothing items can all make for original, humorous digital
images that will brighten anyone’s day. Also, unlike
steel, wood does not dent and, thus, will withstand
the occasional stray basketball or hockey puck without any problem.

Both of these types can adjust in even the smallest of space and they do not require any extra space for
opening and closing.

When getting estimates to replace your garage door make sure you request a locally
manufactured product. Ask any professional and they will tell you that these two companies have an
equal, if not better, product than any national brand.
It may appear stupid to own a machine that only shapes metal into one form.

I’m not going to lie, it was a pretty long process (about 2 months) to hammer out the details, but I was able to pull it off with a few bumps and bruises.

For instance, some of the doors will open by rolling up, while
others will swing open like a door. Use a level to trace the location where the new
header will go and across the middle section of framing.

These are stronger when compared to other kinds of doors and can therefore withstand forces.
Also, unlike steel, wood does not dent and, thus, will withstand the occasional stray basketball or hockey puck
without any problem. Use a level to trace the location where the
new header will go and across the middle section of framing.

I’m not going to lie, it was a pretty long process (about 2 months) to hammer out the details, but I was able to pull it
off with a few bumps and bruises. Also, unlike steel, wood
does not dent and, thus, will withstand the occasional stray basketball or hockey puck without any
problem. Its available in different colors and shade and can easily find one that
can fit with the color scheme of your walls.

I took my time going through every side hallway and exploring everything I could find, so by the time I finished it there was little left for me to do.
You will want to consider the style of your doors to find out which companies carry them.
Park the buggy and walk in to drop off the supplies with Dan.

I took my time going through every side hallway and exploring everything I could find, so
by the time I finished it there was little left for me to do.
According to your choice and needs you can choose among these four types of doors.
Its available in different colors and shade and can easily find
one that can fit with the color scheme of your walls.

I’m not going to lie, it was a pretty long process (about 2
months) to hammer out the details, but I was able to pull it off
with a few bumps and bruises. Ask any professional and they will tell you that these two companies have an equal, if not better,
product than any national brand. The collectible is inside that room
in front of the desk.

Animals playing with objects, animals playing with children or each other and animals dressed
in clothing items can all make for original, humorous digital images that will brighten anyone’s
day. The handle that you select for the door and the insulation will all
also contribute to the overall cost. The collectible is inside that room in front
of the desk.

Animals playing with objects, animals playing
with children or each other and animals dressed in clothing items can
all make for original, humorous digital images that will brighten anyone’s day.

Ask any professional and they will tell you that these two companies have an equal, if not
better, product than any national brand. Its available in different colors
and shade and can easily find one that can fit with the color scheme of
your walls.

If you heat your garage or if the rooms adjacent to this part
of the house are not heated effectively, this type of garage door is ideal.

You will want to consider the style of your doors to find out which companies carry them.
Ziplocs ‘ Used Ziploc bags can be recycled at stores offering a plastic bag recycling program (they cannot be
placed in your recycling bin with other recyclable).

I took my time going through every side hallway and exploring everything I could find, so by the time I
finished it there was little left for me to do.

These doors are manufactured in wide sections that retract or roll up by a pulley system that places
the door overhead in the garage when fully open. In this article we are mentioning some of the prominent method that will eventually assist the person in decorating their
Garage Doors in appealing and remarkable approach.

Your friends and neighbors will be impressed by the improvement in the appearance of your home.

Actually, all of them are best choices, but it depends
upon the quality of the construction and other accessories that are used in making these
doors. Park the buggy and walk in to drop off the supplies with Dan.

Your friends and neighbors will be impressed by the improvement in the appearance of your home.
Ask any professional and they will tell you
that these two companies have an equal, if not better, product than any national brand.

Use a level to trace the location where the new header will go and across the middle section of
framing.

When getting estimates to replace your garage door make sure you request a locally manufactured product.
Actually, all of them are best choices, but it depends upon the quality of the construction and other accessories that
are used in making these doors. Use a level to trace the location where
the new header will go and across the middle section of framing.

These are stronger when compared to other kinds of doors and can therefore withstand forces.
It is great for a cleaner to remove rust, grease, and other
substances but if used as a lubricant it will not last and you will have to
the re-lubricate the door sooner. Both of these types can adjust in even the smallest of space and they
do not require any extra space for opening and closing.

Generally, steel doors are more inexpensive than wooden doors.
You will want to consider the style of your doors to find
out which companies carry them. Your local DIY store will
probably be able to provide a range of budget doors but if you require a good quality door then a professional garage door retailler will provide the best service.

Generally, steel doors are more inexpensive than wooden doors.
The handle that you select for the door and the insulation will
all also contribute to the overall cost. Park the buggy and walk in to drop off
the supplies with Dan.

Your friends and neighbors will be impressed by the improvement in the
appearance of your home. According to your choice and needs
you can choose among these four types of doors.
In this article we are mentioning some of the
prominent method that will eventually assist the person in decorating
their Garage Doors in appealing and remarkable approach.

Great post. I was checking continuously this blog and I am impressed!
Very useful info particularly the last part 🙂 I care
for such info much. I was looking for this particular information for a very long time.
Thank you and best of luck.

I have been surfing on-line greater than 3 hours today,
yet I never discovered any fascinating article like yours.
It is pretty value enough for me. In my opinion, if all website owners and bloggers
made just right content material as you probably did, the web
can be much more helpful than ever before.

I love your blog.. very nice colors & theme.
Did you create this website yourself or did you hire someone to do it for you?
Plz answer back as I’m looking to design my own
blog and would like to know where u got this from. kudos

You’ll need to bring your own storeroom; while Nuvyyo might offer a form with a built-in drive based on opinion, the existing design doesn’t include everything.
With this realization, Paul thought that he could probably design a new pair of shoes that would mimic and emulate the kind of stability the dog’s feet had over wet surfaces.
It’s a strategy with the purpose of doesn’t drive consumer adoption immediately.

My coder is trying to convince me to move to .net
from PHP. I have always disliked the idea because of the expenses.But he’s tryiong none the less.

I’ve been using Movable-type on a number of websites for about a year annd am concerned about switching to another platform.I
have heard good things about blogengine.net. Is there a way I
can transfer all my wordpress posts into it? Any kind of help would be greatly appreciated!

exe start when it goes missing in the system
and when it gets damaged. Aerosmith’s lawyers, in an attempt to avoid
a lawsuit, gave Holland-Dozier-Holland credit for the Aerosmith single.
To see how you can Uninstall Nero 8 by using the tutorials on our website.

Excellent goods from you, man. I’ve understand your stuff previous to and you are just too wonderful.
I actually like what you have acquired here, certainly like what you’re saying
and the way in which you say it. You make it enjoyable and you still care for to keep it
sensible. I can not wait to read far more from you.

This app stays and works in your Black – Berry device even if
you are not connected to the Internet, giving you the chance to explore the Bible wherever and whenever.

On the third day, the bird returned with an olive branch. In 1849
53 the scene was further transformed by the construction of the massive Wicker Viaduct, carrying the Manchester Sheffield and
Lincoln Railway over the Don Valley.

Whoa, unbelievable site arrangement! Just how extensive have you been running a blog to get? you are making posting look quick. An entire glance of this website is excellent, not to mention the material substance!

That is exactly the feeling that people have when they have been injured in an accident and they realize how much
it will end up costing them in the long run. You cannot
just file a case nor ask for a settlement for the damages
without the help of a Charlotte personal Injury attorney. (There is no “standard” fee and no
standard fee agreement.

It can add glamour to a simple style when done right. If done wrong, however, it can make you look like a kid who got into her grade school arts and crafts box. If you’re a grown woman and have some need to sport this look, aim for moderation..
Nail Art,3D Nail Art Supplies For Nail Art Design http://publiccommunications.org/stats/nailart.asp

Once you’ve cleaned up your own nails, pushed back the cuticles and given them a little buff, you’re good to go. Choose the adhesive wrap closest to your nail size, trim width and sides, small nail scissors would be best for this. Starting at the cuticle, simply stick down, smoothing upwards and removing any bubbles or folds.
Cheap Michael Kors Online Store,Welcome Shipping With Reasonable Price! http://www.cmaasac.org/mk007.html

Hey all. I stumbled upon your web site the utilization of ask. It is an particularly smartly prepared content. I’ll always search for that as well as come back to read more of your respective helpful details. Thanks for the publish. I’m going to definitely returning.

When it gets too hard to stick to these rules; the game gets exciting, or you just have to point out that your
player needs to stay to the right so the same person won’t get by them for the tenth time,
try distracting yourself. First touch is defined as the very first touch you
make on the ball when receiving it. Save your self oceans
of time in trying to figure out how to create success, just follow
what these 3 Masterminds teach: Wallace D.

Thank you a lot for sharing this with all people you really know
what you are speaking about! Bookmarked. Please additionally consult with my web site
=). We may have a hyperlink alternate contract among us

Like seemed to be Leeway Kelly’s have an impact on back then in which henceforth, the girl’s
vital adornment evolved into the “Kelly” carrier. The real question becomes what is going to you do after
you, as being a young woman or perhaps a son, graduate from business school,
to feature self-care and relaxation into your life.
As with humans, untreated plaque will develop gingivitis and will ultimately progress
into periodontal disease.

Hey I know this is off topic but I was wondering if you knew
of any widgets I could add to my blog that automatically tweet my newest twitter updates.
I’ve been looking for a plug-in like this for quite some time and was hoping maybe you would have some experience with something like this.
Please let me know if you run into anything.
I truly enjoy reading your blog and I look forward to your new updates.

Unquestionably believe that that you said. Your favourite reason appeared to be on the internet
the simplest thing to understand of. I say to you, I certainly get irked whilst other people think about issues
that they just don’t recognize about. You managed to hit the nail
upon the top and defined out the entire thing without having side effect
, other folks could take a signal. Will probably be back to get more.

Magnificent goods from you, man. I have understand your
stuff previous to and you are just extremely great.
I really like what you’ve acquired here, certainly like what you are saying and the way in which you say it.
You make it entertaining and you still care
for to keep it sensible. I can not wait to read far more
from you. This is really a great website.

I know this if off topic but I’m looking into starting my own weblog and was curious what all is needed to get set up?
I’m assuming having a blog like yours would cost a pretty penny?
I’m not very internet smart so I’m not 100% positive. Any recommendations or advice would be greatly appreciated.
Many thanks

Good day! I could have sworn I’ve been to your blog before
but after looking at a few of the articles I realized
it’s new to me. Nonetheless, I’m certainly happy I found it and I’ll be bookmatking itt and checking back frequently!

” Does this mean that there is something wrong with having a foreign accent. A well-trained accent reduction specialist will not simply teach you a generic list of pronunciation lessons. It will help you get used to the sound of American English.

A motivating discussion is worth comment. I believe that you ought to publish more on this subject, it might not be a
taboo subject but usually people don’t talk about such subjects.
To the next! Best wishes!!

They’re not doing it themselves, they’re going to the Russians to do the same thing.
If you think you’ve forgotten some of the rules, it would not hurt to take a glance of the rules and instructions.
You want the details of some of the games that I watched during this period
of time and you get it.

Wonderful goods from you, man. I’ve understand your stuff previous to and you’re
just too wonderful. I actually like what you’ve acquired here, certainly like what you’re saying and
the way in which you say it. You make it entertaining and you still care
for to keep it sensible. I cant wait to read much
more from you. This is really a great web site.

Fantastic beat ! I would like to apprentice whilst you amend your site,
how can i subscribe for a weblog web site? The account helped me a appropriate deal.
I had been a little bit familiar of this your
broadcast offered shiny clear concept, http://goo.gl/a2UDem

Awesome blog! Do you have any tips and hints for aspiring
writers? I’m planning to start my own blog soon but I’m a little lost on everything.
Would you advise starting with a free platform like WordPress or go for a paid option? There are so many choices out there that I’m completely confused ..
Any ideas? Thank you!

s Haiti Relief Bounty Tournament will match all bounty money won and donate the total relief efforts to Haiti
up to $50,000 and also contribute all tournament fees collected.
This is a competitive advantage for sports betting
businesses because the options that it gives are more than what anybody expects.

You want the details of some of the games that I
watched during this period of time and you get it.

After I originally left a comment I seem to have clicked
on the -Notify me when new comments are added- checkbox and now each time a comment is added I receive
4 emails with the exact same comment. Is there a way
you can remove me from that service? Appreciate it!

We’re a group of volunteers and starting a new scheme
in our community. Your website provided us with useful info to work on. You have performed
a formidable task and our whole group will probably be grateful to you.

It’s genuinely very complicated in this active life to listen news on TV,
thus I just use the web for that reason, and take the most recent news., best funny vines compilation 2014 http://goo.gl/FAAj6d

That’s how you can go through a wide range
of asphalt mobile drum mix plant, Paver Finishers, asphalt sprayers and dump trucks,
flatbed trailers, and HitachiConstruction Machinery Co.
Several types of equipment construction equipment might be right.
It doesn’t matter if your firm simply might have access to the
prospect of purchasing all necessary machineries is that the
machine and the seller s side as well, apart from a.

Just desire to say your article is as amazing. The clearness on your submit is just excellent and
that i could suppose you are a professional on this subject.
Well along with your permission allow me to snatch your RSS
feed to keep updated with forthcoming post.
Thank you one million and please carry on the gratifying work.

Hello Clander,
With the increased interest in study abroad from government, educators, employers and students,education is going in vast technology and establish new trend sources by which everybody can involve in it and getting advantages.
Study Abroad to bridge the separation of academic learning from experiential and intercultural learning.
Thanx Clander for your ideas and suggestion is really very helpful to increase knowledge and support.

Always human beings are being invested with great spirituality and imbued
with divine energy. Cheering and laughter may
have been heard throughout the afternoon, but the tense competition never let up wit.
“Principal Van – Der Jagt of Ogden International School failed to report more than one case of severe bullying,” the petition says.

Magnificent goods from you, man. I’ve understand your stuff previous to and
you’re just extremely fantastic. I actually like what you have acquired here,
really like what you are stating and the way in which you say it.
You make it entertaining and you still care for
to keep it wise. I cant wait to read much more from
you. This is really a terrific web site.

I don’t really fear to study abroad but I don’t have that money to take me abroad.I always pray to God to help me onetime to go to Europe and start a new life there. is there anyone in Europe who can really help me attain my dream.I am a Ugandan and currently at university pursuing a degree in reproductive health.

If your taking pics in the sun don’t forget to buy sunglasses with polarized tinted lenses. My sons was married on a beach and they overnighted 13 pairs for the bridal party. Their pictures turned out amazing!!! I think we paid $59 each at sandysunglasses.com

Studying abroad is an experience that would be extremely valuable for the majority of students, so it’s easier to talk about who should think twice before studying abroad. In my opinion, the most important issue is the popular confusion between living abroad and traveling abroad, because expectations (and ultimately the overall experience) hinges on initial motivations. Break out of your comfort zone and challenge yourself with uncommon experiences that make you reconsider (or strengthen) your values. Get a better sense of who you are and what’s important. Chris Salamone https://goo.gl/NjWRWB works to improve the lives of young people around the world through his many philanthropic endeavors. He functions as chairman of the Lead America Foundation and extends a considerable amount of financial support to fund the education of 300 children in Haiti. Lead America works on Leadership development, experiential career education & study abroad programs for high achieving high school and middle school students.